GIFT   OF 
MICHAEL  REESE 


A  HISTORY 


STATE  OF  DELAWARE, 


$ts  first  Mlenunt  mill  tlje  frcsent  Iimet 


CONTAINING 


A  FULL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  FIRST  DUTCH  AND 
SWEDISH  SETTLEMENTS, 


A  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITS  GEOGRAPHY  AND  GEOLOGY, 


FRANCIS   VINCENT, 

WILMINGTON,  DEL. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
JOHN  CAMPBELL,  NO.  740  SANSOM  STREET. 

1870. 


BEESE 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 
FRANCIS    VINCENT, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and 
for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


HENRY  B.  ASHMEAD,  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTER, 

1102  &  1104  Sansom  Street,  Philadelphia. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


FROM  the  smallness  of  the  State  of  Delaware,  both 
in  population  and  territory,  and  the  few  (even  of 
Delawareans)  who  manifest  any  interest  in  its  affairs, 
the  author  has  been  compelled  to  issue  this  work  in 
numbers  of  thirty-two  pages  each,  at  thirty  cents  per 
number,  supposing  in  that  manner  it  would  be  placed 
more  easily  within  the  reach  of  a  greater  number  of 
subscribers.  They  will  be  issued  about  every  three 
weeks,  and  can  be  procured  either  of  the  author,  at 
Wilmington,  Delaware,  of  Mr.  John  Campbell,  No. 
740  Sansom  Street,  Philadelphia,  or  of  the  book 
stores  in  the  City  of  Wilmington. 

By  forwarding  the  money  by  mail  to  the  under 
signed  at  Wilmington,  Delaware,  the  numbers  will  be 
sent  in  any  direction  free  of  postage.  Back  numbers 
will  always  be  furnished.  The  usual  discount  made 
to  dealers. 

As  many  of  the  subscribers  to  the  work  appended 
their  names  about  four  years  ago,  expecting  to  be  sup 
plied  with  the  History  at  that  time,  it  may  have  es 
caped  the  memory  of  some  of  them.  Should  any 
wish  to  cancel  their  subscription  from  this  cause,  they 
will  please,  by  some  means,  inform  the  author. 

FRANCIS  VINCENT. 

WILMINGTON,  DEL. 


PREFACE. 


THE  author  has  no  other  apology  to  make  for  un 
dertaking  the  present  work,  than  that  in  the  course  of 
two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  years,  (the  period  of 
time  that  has  elapsed  since  the  first  settlement  was 
attempted  of  the  territory  that  now  constitutes  this 
State,)  no  other  person  has  thought  proper  to  write  it 
before  him.  Delaware  has  a  history  that  every  citi 
zen  should  be  proud  of.  It  is  many  years  older  than 
that  of  her  great  sister,  Pennsylvania.  Yet  how  few 
Delawareans  there  are  who  can  tell  who  settled  or 
governed  it,  who  fought  its  battles  in  the  Revolution, 
who  passed  its  laws,  what  they  were,  or  the  circum 
stances  under  which  they  were  enacted,  or  the  social 
and  political  changes  that  have  from  time  to  time  oc 
curred  within  their  State.  The  want  of  a  relation  of 
these  transactions  in  a  book  easy  of  reference,  has 
made  this  ignorance  of  our  State  affairs  a  general  ig 
norance.  This  work  is  designed  to  remedy  this,  and 
to  place  it  in  the  power  of  all  Delawareans  to  obtain 
a  knowledge  of  the  past  occurrences  of  their  State, 
that  may  desire  it.  All  the  author  aims  at,  is  to  plainly, 
truthfully,  and  succinctly,  detail  what  has  transpired, 


VI  PREFACE. 

or  may  in  any  way  relate  to  the  history  of  Delaware, 
in  a  manner  that  may  be  understood  by  all. 

The  difficulties  of  writing  a  correct  History  of  Dela 
ware  can  hardly  be  conceived  by  any  who  have  not 
undertaken  it.  In  addition  to  the  extreme  lack  of 
historical  interest  in  relation  to  their  State  manifested 
by  many,  even  of  our  best  citizens,  no  care  has  been 
taken  of  our  records.  In  1722  they  were  all  de 
stroyed  by  the  burning  of  Major  John  French's  house, 
at  New  Castle.  In  1777  they  were  captured  and 
carried  to  New  York  by  the  British  after  the  battle  of 
Brandywine.  Many  of  them  were  never  returned, 
and  what  were,  were  stowed  away  in  an  outhouse, 
and  afterwards  nearly  all  burnt  by  a  gentleman's 
servants,  (to  light  fires,)  who  were  ignorant  of  their 
value.  Others  have  been  lost  by  the  carelessness  of 
our  different  state  and  county  officers.  In  moving 
the  Kent  county  records  from  the  State  House  in 
Dover  (where  many  of  the  officers  of  Kent  county 
were)  to  the  newly  erected  county  buildings  a  few 
years  since,  a  large  quantity  of  valuable  matter  that 
would  have  thrown  light  on  our  State  history  was 
carted  away,  and  cast  out  as  rubbish.  A  number 
of  valuable  letters  and  manuscripts  belonging  to 
Thomas  M.  Rodney,  Esq.,  consisting  of  letters  of  his 
great  uncle,  the  celebrated  Csesar  Rodney,  in  relation 
to  the  days  of  the  Revolution,  were  stolen  some  few 
years  since.  Many  of  our  former  most  distinguished 
families  have  now  no  representative  left  in  the  State, 
and  their  papers  that  would  have  thrown  light  on  our 
local  history  are  not  to  be  found.  The  descendants 


PREFACE.  Vll 

of  others  who  reside  here  have  parted  with  every  manu 
script  and  letter,  having  in  many  cases  presented  them 
to  New  England  autograph  collectors,  amongst  whom 
such  things  are  preserved  and  valued.  No  care  has 
ever  been  taken  in  our  public  libraries  to  preserve  any 
works  in  relation  to  this  State,  and  every  rare  work, 
not  purchasable,  the  author  has  been  compelled  to  pro 
cure  from  the  libraries  of  Philadelphia  and  New  York. 
From  this  our  readers  can  imagine  the  difficulties 
there  will  be  in  writing  a  history  of  our  State ;  espe- 
pecially  after  its  grant  by  the  Duke  of  York  to  Wil 
liam  Penn — a  few  years  after  which  grant  we  first  had 
an  independent  government — and  our  affairs  ceased  to 
be  registered  anywhere  out  of  our  own  limits. 

This  State  having  been  first  discovered  by  the 
Dutch,  and  the  first  settlement  made  by  them  and 
the  Swedes,  its  early  history  must  necessarily  be 
found  in  those  languages.  These  two  nations  inha 
bited  the  Delaware  between  them,  and  struggled  for 
mastery,  until  finally  the  former  reduced  the  latter  to 
subjection.  The  Dutch  officials  on  the  Delaware  sent 
a  regular  account  to  New  York  of  every  matter  of  in 
terest.  The  New  York  officials  sent  copies  of  those 
accounts  to  Holland.  The  Swedes  on  the  Delaware 
sent  accounts  to  Sweden.  These  several  accounts, 
both  Dutch  and  Swedish,  have  many  of  them  been 
preserved  either  in  the  original  manuscripts,  or  by  re 
cord  in  books,  and  it  is  from  these  records  andcotem- 
porary  works,  written  by  Dutch  and  Swedish  authors, 
that  we  are  enabled  to  get  a  minute  and  circumstan 
tial  account  of  our  early  history. 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

The  Dutch  records  by  the  liberality  of  the  State  of 
New  York   have   been  translated   into    English,   by 
Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  and  published  in  thirty 
large  volumes.     Among  these  records  are  the  letters 
of   Hudde  and    Beekman,  both    of  whom    minutely 
record  the  occurrences  on  the  Delaware.     The  corres 
pondence  of  the  latter,  who  was  governor  of  the  ter 
ritory  of  the  northern  side  of  the  Christiana,  is  espe 
cially  valuable,  containing,  as  it  does,  a  succinct  record 
of  the  events  in  the  territory  that  now  comprises  this 
State  from  1659  to  1664.     The  Swedish  documents, 
from  which   we   extract  our  principal  information  in 
relation  to  Swedish  affairs,   were  furnished  by  Mr. 
Russell,    our    former   minister    to    Sweden,    to    the 
American  Philosophical  Society  of  Philadelphia.  They 
were  translated  and  published  several  years  ago  in  the 
Register  of  Pennsylvania.     One  of  the  most  useful 
(though  also,  in  some  instances,  one  of  the  most  inac 
curate,)  of  Swedish  works  is  that  entitled,  ''A  Short 
Description  of  the  Province  of  Neiv  Sweden,  by  Tho 
mas  Campanim,  of  Holme"  printed  at  Stockholm  in 
the  year  1702,  under  the  patronage  of  Charles  the 
12th. 

Delaware,  from  the  time  of  the  subjugation  of  the 
Swedes,  in  1655  to  1682,  (when  it  was  conveyed  to 
Penn,)  being  but  a  sub  government  to  New  York,  her 
history  up  to  that  time,  as  well  under  the  English  as 
under  the  Dutch,  must  be  looked  for  mainly  in  the 
records  of  that  State.  Nicholas,  Lovelace  and  An- 
dross,  the  deputy  governors  under  the  Duke  of  York, 
(who  was  the  proprietor  of  this  State,  and  afterwards 


PREFACE.  IX 

granted  it  to  Perm,)  had  regular  accounts  sent  on  to 
them  of  the  affairs  on  the  Delaware,  where  they  were 
carefully  recorded.  Our  own  records  (with  the  ex 
ceptions  of  a  few  deeds  and  wills)  do  not  extend  fur 
ther  back  than  1674,  when  Andross  was  governor. 
They  are  contained  in  three  books  in  the  Prothono- 
tary's  office  at  New  Castle,  and  at  least  one  of  them 
is  a  copy  from  the  records  of  New  York. 

The  author  designs  that  this  work  shall  contain  a 
narrative  of  Delaware  events  from  its  first  discovery 
until  the  end  of  the  year  1869.  The  plan  of  the 
work  will  be  to  give  every  public  event,  the  essence  of 
all  important  laws  passed,  the  names  of  the  governors, 
the  legislators,  and  other  important  public  officers. 
The  different  census,  and  the  number  of  votes  cast, 
and  the  majorities  at  the  various  elections,  and  the 
principles  and  objects  of  the  various  political  parties 
that  have  existed  in  the  State.  With  this  decla 
ration  of  the  object  of  the  work,  he  issues  his  first 
volume,  which  is  now  written  in  hopes  it  will  meet 
the  approbation  and  patronage  of  the  citizens  of  Dela 
ware.  As  the  second  volume  is  not  yet  written,  he 
should  be.  pleased  if  any  who  have  any  letters,  manu 
scripts,  documents  or  books,  that  will  throw  any 
light  on  the  past  history  of  Delaware,  would  loan  them 
to  him  for  a  perusal.  They  will  be  faithfully  returned. 

Since  the  above  was  written  the  author  has  added 
two  chapters  to  the  work,  more  than  he  at  first  in 
tended.  The  first  giving  an  account  of  the  bound 
aries  of  the  State  and  its  Counties,  and  their  extent, 
as  well  as  a  short  description  of  its  surface,  harbors, 


X  PREFACE. 

bays,  rivers  and  creeks ;  the  other,  a  description  of  its 
geological  formation.  He  has  clone  this,  supposing 
that  the  information  conveyed  would  cause  the  his 
torical  portions  of  the  work,  when  they  came  to  be 
read,  to  be  better  understood. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  STATE  OF  DELAWARE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Radii  from  New  Castle — Mason  and  Dixon's  Line — Jurisdiction 
over  the  Delaware  for  Twenty-four  Miles — Latitude  and  Longi 
tude — Counties  of  the  State — Its  Hundreds — Estimated  Extent  of 
its  Territory— Boundaries  of  Counties — Northern  Part  Hilly — 
The  Ridge — Cypress  Swamp — The  Forests,  White,  Black,  Span 
ish  Oak,  the  Bark — Game — Mocking  Birds — The  Rivers,  Harbors 
and  Streams — Naaman's  Creek,  Brandywine,  Christiana,  White 
Clay  and  Red  Clay,  Mill  and  Bear,  Red  Lion,  St.  Georges,  St. 
Augustine,  Silver  Run,  Duck  and  Little  Duck  Creeks — Kent  and 
Kelley's  Islands — Dona  River — Port  Mahon,  Little  Jones',  Mis- 
pillion,  Broadkiln  and  Lewes  Creek — Lewes  Creek  filled  up — 
Cape  Lewes — Rehoboth  and  Indian  River  Bays — Indian  River 
Inlet — Lewes,  Middle,  Herring  and  Guinea  Creeks — Long  Neck — 
Burton's  Island — Pepper,  Vine  and  White  Creeks — Kedging  of 
the  Shallops — Fresh  Pond — Salt  Pond — Manufacture  of  Salt — 
Assawaman  Bay — Fenwick's  Island — Assateague  Island — Fish 
and  Water  Fowl  of  the  State,  the  Crocus,  the  Sheephead,  the 
Drum,  the  Man-nin-nose,  the  King  Crab,  the  Curlew — The  Nan- 
ticoke,  Broad  and  Pokomoke  Rivers — Rivers  rising  in  the  State 
flowing  into  the  Chesapeake. 

THE  boundaries  of  the  State  of  Delaware  are  as 
follows :  first,  a  circle  drawn  in  a  radius  of  twelve 
miles  from  the  Court-house  at  the  centre  of  the  town 
of  New  Castle,  commencing  (we  will  say)  at  low  wa 
ter  mark  on  the  shore  of  New  Jersey,  north  of  New 
Castlej  thence  extending  over  the  Delaware,  and  fol- 


12  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

lowing  its  circumference  until  it  again  touches  the 
shore  of  that  State  south  of  its  radius  of  twelve  miles 
from  New  Castle.  This  circular  boundary  on  the 
north  gives  Delaware  sole  jurisdiction  over  the  Dela 
ware  River  and  Bay  from  low  water  mark  on  the  Jersey 
side,  over  a  mile  north  of  where  Naaman's  Creek,  on 
the  western  or  Delaware  side,  flows  into  the  Dela 
ware,  extending  southward  twenty-four  miles  to  a 
place  a  short  distance  north  of  where  Silver  Run 
Creek  enters  the  Delaware  from  this  State,  or  about  a 
mile  south  of  where  Alloway's  Creek  flows  into  it  from 
the  Jersey  side.  Within  these  boundaries  are  com 
prised  the  islands  of  the  Pea  Patch,  on  which  is 
erected  Fort  Delaware,  and  Reedy  Island.  Below 
this  circle  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  extends  to  the 
middle  of  the  bay,  as  far  as  Cape  Henlopen,  where  it 
flows  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  It  then  extends  along 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  a  point  at  Fenwick's  Island,  in 
about  28°  20'  north  latitude.  The  line  of  the  State 
then  extends  westwardly  thirty-four  miles,  three  hun 
dred  and  nine  perches  (being  exactly  half  the  dis 
tance  between  the  ocean  and  the  Chesapeake  Bay). 
The  State  boundary  then  runs  by  a  right  line  nearly 
due  north  at  a  tangent  until  it  reaches  the  western 
part  of  the  periphery  of  the  circle,  twelve  miles  from 
the  Court-house  at  New  Castle.  It  contains  within 
its  limits  2002*6  square  miles.  The  State  is  situ 
ated  in  latitude  from  38°  28'  to  39°  47'  north,  and 
from  longitude  from  74°  56'  to  75°  46'  west  from 
Greenwich.  Its  physical  boundaries  are  as  follows : 
on  the  north  by  Pennsylvania  and  the  Delaware  River, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  13 

on  the  south  by  Maryland,  on  the  east  by  the  middle 
of  the  bay  and  river  to  twenty-four  miles  from  the 
State's  northern  boundary,  from  thence  by  a  line  of 
low  water  mark  on  the  Jersey  shore  to  the  radius  of 
twelve  miles  north  of  New  Castle ;  and  on  the  west 
by  Maryland,  and  by  Pennsylvania  to  the  periphery  of 
the  circle  from  New  Castle,  where  she  connects  with 
the  State  of  Maryland.  This  circular  boundary  of 
Delaware  causes  the  entrance  of  Pennsylvania  be 
tween  Delaware  and  Maryland  in  the  shape  of  a  long 
narrow  wedge.  The  length  of  the  State  is  ninety-five 
miles.  At  its  southern  boundary  it  is  nearly  thirty- 
five  miles  in  width,  which  width  is  hardly  diminished 
for  about  twenty-six  miles,  or  to  Cape  Henlopen.  But 
from  Cape  Henlopen  to  its  northern  boundary,  from 
the  Delaware  flowing  in  a  southwest  course,  it  dimin 
ishes  in  width  until  it  reaches  its  narrowest  part  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Red  Lion  Creek,  in  New  Castle 
county,  (where  its  breadth  is  not  over  ten  miles,)  when 
it  again  widens  until  it  reaches  the  breadth  of  twelve 
miles  from  New  Castle  Court-house.  The  line  that 
divides  Delaware  from  Maryland  is  a  part  of  the  cele 
brated  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  run  by  Charles  Ma 
son  and  Jeremiah  Dixon  in  1762,  (of  which  we  shall 
speak  more  hereafter  in  its  proper  place,)  to  separate 
the  territories  of  Lord  Baltimore  and  Thomas  and 
Richard  Penn,  sons  of  William  Penn.  This  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line  was  popularly  supposed  to  be  the 
boundaries  between  the  free  and  slave  states.  But 
this  was  a  popular  error.  Slavery  existed  in  Dela 
ware,  which  is  west  of  this  line,  until  abolished  by 


14  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

the  fourteenth  amendment  to  the  constitution.  The 
mistake  occurred,  we  suppose,  from  the  line  when  it 
passes  the  periphery  of  the  circle  from  New  Castle 
and  reaches  the  boundary  between  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland,  instead  of  running  north  and  south,  as  be 
tween  Maryland  and  Delaware,  runs  due  west.  So 
that  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  was  the  boundary  be 
tween  slavery  and  freedom  when  it  ran  east  and  west, 
between  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  but  not  when 
it  ran  north  and  south,  between  Maryland  and  Dela 
ware. 

The  State  is  divided  into  three  counties,  viz  :  New 
Castle,  Kent  and  Sussex,  and  each  of  these  counties 
are  subdivided  into  hundreds.  Hundreds  are  the  old 
English  subdivisions  of  counties,  and  Delaware  is  the 
only  State,  it  is  alleged,  in  which  they  exist  in  the 
United  States.  They  were  supposed  to  have  origi 
nated  with  Alfred  the  Great,  one  of  the  old  Anglo- 
Saxon  kings  who  ruled  in  England  A.D.  877,  or  992 
years  ago.  But  they  are  now  known  to  have  been 
in  existence  before  his  time.  They  derive  their 
name  from  having  originally,  when  instituted  in  Eng 
land,  contained  one  hundred  families.  New  Castle 
county  contains  ten  hundreds,  viz. :  Brandy  wine, 
Christiana,  Wilmington,  (the  city  of  Wilmington, 
which,  by  law,  is  a  hundred  in  itself,)  Mill  Creek, 
White  Clay  Creek,  Pencader,  New  Castle,  Red  Lion, 
St.  Georges  and  Appoquinimink.  It  contains  424.02 
square  miles.  New  Castle  is  the  county  town. 

Kent  county  contains  seven  hundreds,  viz. :  Duck 
Creek,  Little  Creek,  Kenton,  Dover,  North  Murderkill, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  15 

South  Murderkill,  Milford  and  Mispillion.1  It  contains 
613-06  square  miles.  Dover  is  the  county  town,  and 
capital  of  the  State. 

Sussex  county  contains  eleven  hundreds,  viz. : 
Cedar  Creek,  Broadkiln,  Georgetown,  Nanticoke, 
North  West  Fork,  Broad  Creek,  Little  Creek,  Dags- 
boro',  Baltimore,  Indian  River,  and  Lewes  and  Reho- 
both.  It  also  contains  964'08  square  miles.  George 
town  is  the  county  town. 

There  are  various  statements  published  of  the  size  of 
Delaware,  nearly  all  of  which  differ ;  but  the  account 
we  have  given  is  based  on  the  last  survey  made  by 
D.  G.  Beers,  for  the  publication  of  the  State  Atlas  of 
Pomeroy  &  Beers,  in  1868.  The  survey  of  Rea  & 
Price  for  the  State  Map  in  1850  gives  the  area  of  the 
State  at  2,221  square  miles.  But  they  vary  in  their 
own  calculation,  for  they  give  the  number  of  acres 
contained  in  the  counties  of  the  State  1,300,250;  this, 
divided  by  640,  the  number  of  acres  in  a  square  mile, 
would  make  the  State,  according  to  their  estimate, 
consist  of  little  over  2,031  square  miles.  Again,  they 
make  New  Castle  county,  in  their  statement,  contain 
271,490  acres,  and  619  square  miles.  When  271,490, 
divided  by  640,  would  only  bring  420,  or  make  that 
county  195  square  miles  less  by  their  report  in  acres 
than  by  their  report  in  miles.  The  American  Ency 
clopaedia  gives  the  area  of  the  State  at  2,160  square 

1  Murderkill  was  divided  into  two  hundreds  by  Act  of  Legislature 
of  March  20,  1867.  Kenton  hundred  was  formed  from  parts  of  Little 
Creek  and  Duck  Creek  hundred,  by  Act  of  Legislature,  February  3, 
1869. 


16  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

miles.  Huffington,  of  the  Delaware  Register,  esti 
mates  it  at  2,070.  Mitchell's  Atlas  makes  it  2,120 
square  miles.  So  far  there  has  been  no  official  sur 
vey  of  the  State  to  verify  what  it  contains. 

Each  of  the  counties  take  up  the  whole  breadth  of 
the  State.  New  Castle  and  Kent  are  divided  from 
each  other  by  Duck  Creek,  and  a  line  running  from 
its  northern  branch  about  due  west  to  the  Maryland 
line.  Kent  is  divided  from  Sussex  by  the  Mispillion 
Creek  and  the  Tan  Trough  Branch,  one  of  its  tributa 
ries  ;  thence  southwesterly  to  a  small  branch  of  the 
Nanticoke,  down  this  branch  to  the  southward  end  of 
a  beaver-dam,  and  thence  by  a  line  due  west  to  the 
State  line. 

The  accounts  of  most  of  the  natural  features  of  our 
State  will  be  given  under  the  head  of  its  geology  in 
the  succeeding  chapter.  But  as  little  mention  of 
its  rivers,  streams  and  bays  have  there  been  made, 
and  as  it  is  necessary  to  know  them,  to  comprehend 
the  events  hereafter  to  be  related,  a  slight  sketch  is 
accordingly  given  of  them  and  the  other  geographical 
features  of  the  State. 

The  extreme  upper  portion  of  the  State  of  Dela 
ware  (as  will  be  found  hereafter  stated  in  our  descrip 
tion  of  its  geology)  is  composed  of  a  mass  of  beauti 
fully  rounded  hills,  nowhere  more  than  five  hundred 
feet  in  height,  situated  on  a  sub-stratum  of  rock.  Be 
low  the  White  Clay  Creek,  a  distance  of  about  seven 
miles  from  our  quadrantal  boundary,  the  land  be 
comes  level,  the  rock  generally  ceases,  and  a  low 
sandy  ridge,  nowhere  more  than  seventy  feet  high, 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  17 

passes  through  the  State.  This  table  land  abounds 
in  swamps,  in  which  most  of  the  rivers  and  streams 
of  the  State  have  their  source.  At  the  southern 
border  of  the  State  is  a  great  morass,  called  the  Cy 
press  Swamp,  about  twelve  miles  in  length,  the 
whole  of  which  is  a  high  level  basin.  It  contains 
nearly  fifty  thousand  acres.  About  one  half  of  this 
great  swamp  lays  in  Sussex  county,  Delaware ;  the 
other  half  in  Maryland.  It  contains  a  great  variety 
of  trees  and  plants,  mostly  cypress  trees,  (called  by 
the  residents  cedars,)  and  an  immense  quantity  of 
huckleberry  bushes,  and  is  infested  with  wild  animals. 
The  deer  and  the  bear,  it  is  alleged,  yet  remain 
there.  Below  its  surface  are  found  immense  trunks 
of  cedar  trees,  the  remains  of  giants  of  the  forest  long 
since  gone.  The  residents  of  the  locality  probe 
through  the  morass  with  rods,  to  find  where  they  are 
situated,  and  then  raise  them,  and  turn  them  into 
shingles  for  market.  This  whole  swamp  can  be  rea 
dily  drained  and  made  good  land.  The  soil  of  the 
State  is  fertile.  It  has  long  been  celebrated  for  its 
wheat.  All  the  small  fruits  that  grow  in  the  tempe 
rate  zone  flourish  here.  It  appears  to  be  the  natural 
home  of  the  peach.  Cotton  was  formerly  grown  in 
Sussex  county.  The  noblest  forests  of  white  and 
black  oak,  yellow  pine,  cypress  or  cedar,  tulip  poplar, 
Spanish  oak,  gum,  and  other  magnificent  trees  still 
exist  in  the  State,  although  they  are  being  rapidly 
cleared  away.  Its  white  oak,  it  is  conceded,  is  the 
finest  in  the  United  States.  Trees  of  this  description 

in  the  Blackbird,  Kenton,  and  other  forests  of  the 

2 


18  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

State,  are  often  three  feet  in  diameter  across  the 
stump,  and  from  forty  to  sixty  feet  in  height.  Logs 
are  often  sawed  from  them  of  thirty  feet  long.  The 
black  oak  produces  the  best  quercitron  bark  in  the 
Union,  and  it  brings  a  higher  price  than  any  other  in 
the  Liverpool  market.  It  is  ground  principally  at 
Milford  and  Smyrna.  The  Delaware  Spanish  oak 
furnishes  the  best  known  bark  for  tanning,  and  its 
bark  brings  a  higher  price,  both  in  the  foreign  and 
domestic  market,  than  any  other.  The  forests  of 
pine  are  principally  in  Sussex  county.  Sumach, 
which  is  worth  from  $50  to  §60  a  ton,  grows  wild  in 
immense  quantities.  All  the  ordinary  game  birds, 
such  as  the  snipe,  the  partridge,  the  old  field  plover, 
(a  bird  a  little  larger  than  a  partridge,)  abound  in  the 
State.  The  mocking-bird,  rarely,  if  ever,  observed 
north  of  our  boundary,  can  be  seen  in  numbers  in 
Kent  and  Sussex,  and  the  lower  part  of  New  Castle 
counties. 

Its  principal  rivers,  streams,  and  harbors  are,  first, 
the  Delaware,  which,  for  twenty-four  miles  from  our 
northern  boundary,  is  a  part  of  our  State.  It  is  so 
well  known  as  not  to  necessitate  any  description. 
Naaman's  Creek,  which  flows  into  the  Delaware  about 
a  mile  from  our  northern  border,  is  the  most  northern 
stream  in  the  State.  The  Shelpot  Creek,  which  flows 
into  the  Brandywine  a  short  distance  before  it  joins 
Christiana.  The  mouth  of  this  stream  is  now  dammed 
up.  The  Brandywine,  which  rises  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  flowing  through  the  State,  dividing  Brandywine 
from  Christiana  hundred,  enters  the  Christiana  within 


HISTORY   OF    STHE    TATE    OF    DELAWARE.  19 

the  limits  of  the  city  of  Wilmington,  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  where  that  river  enters  the  Delaware. 
The  Brandywine  is  navigable  for  about  two  miles 
from  its  mouth  for  sloops  and  schooners.  From  the 
termination  of  its  navigation  to  the  Pennsylvania  line, 
it  is  mostly  rocky,  with  several  falls,  which  affords 
magnificent  water  power,  from  the  city  of  Wilmington 
to  the  Pennsylvania  border.  Its  banks  are  lined  on 
both  sides  with  mills  and  factories.  The  Christiana, 
which  flows  through  the  State  in  a  northeast  course 
from  Maryland,  and  empties  into  the  Delaware  at 
Wilmington.  This  river  is  of  sufficient  depth  to  be 
navigated  by  vessels  drawing  14  feet  to  the  city  of 
Wilmington,  and  sloops  to  the  village  of  Christiana, 
about  ten  miles  further.  Red  Clay  Creek,  Mill 
Creek,  and  Bear  Creek,  are  large  streams  flowing  into 
the  White  Clay  Creek  (a  confluent  of  the  Chris 
tiana)  from  the  northern  hundreds.  They  were  once 
navigable,  but  are  now  valuable,  mainly,  for  their 
water  power.  Red  Lion  Creek,  formerly  navigable,  is 
now  dammed  up.  St.  George's  Creek  is  now  turned 
into  the  Delaware  and  Chesapeake  Canal,  except  a 
portion  of  it  which  empties  into  the  bay  partially 
through  a  new  channel.  St.  Augustine's  and  Silver 
Run  are  small  creeks  which  flow  into  the  bay  in  St- 
George's  hundred,  below  Reedy  Island.  Appo- 
quinimink  is  an  important  creek,  and  is  navigable  for 
sloops  to  Odessa,  about  seven  miles  from  its  mouth, 
and  for  steamboats  to  Thomas'  Landing,  about  two 
miles  and  a  half  from  its  mouth.  Blackbird  is  a  na 
vigable  creek,  which  flows  due  east  and  north  until  it 


20  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

empties  in  the  bay.  Duck  Creek,  is  an  important 
creek,  which  divides  New  Castle  from  Kent  county. 
It  is  navigable  for  seven  or  eight  miles  to  within  a 
mile  of  the  important  town  of  Smyrna,  for  whose  ex 
ports  it  is  the  outlet.  It  is  also  navigable  for  several 
miles  for  steamboats,  having  water  from  twelve  to 
fourteen  feet  to  Hay  Point  Landing.  It  flows  into 
the  bay  north  of  Bombay  Hook,  through  a  made 
channel  called  the  Thoroughfare.  Little  Duck  Creek 
is  a  creek  navigable  for  sloops  for  several  miles  from  its 
mouth  to  the  town  of  Leipsic,  the  commerce  of  which 
it  bears  upon  its  waters.  Dona  River  is  a  small  river, 
the  head  of  which  connects  with  Little  Duck  Creek. 
For  about  three  miles  it  flows  with  a  broad  channel, 
and  enters  the  bay  below  Little  Bombay  Hook 
Island.  This  river  and  Little  Duck  Creek  forms 
Kent  Island,  a  large  marshy  island  several  miles  in 
extent.  It  is  navigable  for  steamboats  for  about  two 
miles  to  Dona  Landing.  It  was  the  place  originally 
intended  for  the  terminus  of  the  Delaware  Railroad. 
About  two  miles  before  Dona  River  reaches  the  bay, 
it  is  divided  into  two  channels,  one  of  which,  (called 
Mahon  River,)  tearing  itself  a  passage  through  the 
yielding  marsh,  and  flowing  southerly  for  about  four 
miles,  forms  itself  into  a  bay  or  harbor,  and  enters  the 
Delaware.  In  conjunction  with  Dona,  it  forms  Kelley's 
Island,  another  large  marshy  island,  in  which  there  are 
several  ponds.  This  bay  or  harbor  is  called  Port 
Mahon,  and  is  esteemed  the  best  harbor  for  coasters 
on  the  Delaware.  Little  Creek  is  a  small  creek,  na 
vigable  for  about  three  miles  from  its  mouth  for  sloops 


HISTORY   OF   THE   STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  21 

and  small  schooners.  It  is  the  channel  for  the  com 
merce  for  the  town  of  Dover,  the  capital  of  the  State, 
which  hauls  its  exports  four  miles  to  a  place  upon  it, 
called  Little  Creek  Landing.  It  flows  into  the  Dela 
ware  about  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  Port  Mahon. 
Jones'  Creek,  which  runs  back  of  the  town  of  Dover, 
is  navigable  for  small  sloops  and  schooners  to  Forrest 
Landing,  about  nine  miles  from  its  mouth.  Forrest 
Landing  is  where  the  produce  of  the  town  of  Camden 
is  shipped.  This  creek  is  about  twenty  miles  long, 
and  flows  in  a  southeasterly  direction  until  it  reaches 
the  bay.  Murderkill  is  a  navigable  creek,  which 
flows  in  a  northeast  direction  until  it  enters  the  bay 
about  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  Jones'  Creek.  Sloops 
and  schooners  can  go  up  to  the  town  of  Frederica  about 
ten  or  twelve  miles  from  its  mouth.  Mispillion  is 
a  large  creek,  upon  which  the  town  of  Milford  is  situ 
ated.  It  is  navigable  to  Milford  for  large  sloops  and 
schooners,  and  steamboats  have  ascended  it.  It  is 
the  outlet  for  the  commerce  of  that  town.  Mis- 
pillion  is  also  the  boundary  between  the  counties  of 
Kent  and  Sussex.  Cedar  Creek  is  a  small  navigable 
creek,  flowing  into  the  Delaware.  It  has  also  an  arti 
ficial  outlet  into  the  Mispillion.  Draper's,  Slaughter's 
and  Primehook  Creeks  are  small  unimportant  streams 
flowing  into  the  bay  at  various  distances  between  the 
mouths  of  Mispillion  and  Broadkiln  and  Lewes  Creeks. 
Broadkiln  Creek  is  a  stream  navigable  for  sloops  and 
schooners  to  the  town  of  Milton,  a  distance  of  about 
twelve  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  flows  in  an  easterly 
course/  and  enters  the  estuary  of  Lewes  Creek  about 


22  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

two  miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Delaware  Bay. 
Lewes  Creek,  from  where  it  flows  to  the  Delaware,  to 
the  town  of  Lewes,  a  distance  of  about  six  miles,  is 
separated  from  the  bay  by  Cape  Lewes,  a  cape  about 
six  miles  long,  and  varying  from  an  eighth  to  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  in  width.  Large  coasters  used  to 
sail  up  the  creek,  but  it  is  now  only  navigable  for 
boats.  Its  navigation  was  destroyed  by  what  is 
known  as  the  "  Great  Storm."  The  waters  of  the 
bay  washed  over  the  narrow  cape,  and  filled  the  bed 
of  the  stream  with  sand.  The  navigation  of  Lewes  is 
now  through  a  canal  from  a  small  creek,  called  Canary 
Creek,  to  Mill  Creek,  and  from  there  to  Broadkiln 
Creek.  Two  small  creeks,  called  Wolfe  Creek  and 
Old  Creek,  flow  into  it  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Lewes. 

Rehoboth  Bay  and  Indian  River  Bay  are  two  large 
shallow  bays,  which  are  separated  from  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  by  a  narrow  ridge  of  sand,  which  is  from  a 
quarter  to  half  a  mile  in  width,  and  about  nine  miles 
in  length.  Through  this  ridge  the  waters  of  the  two 
bays  have  united,  and  torn  a  passage,  called  Indian 
River  Inlet.  This  inlet  rarely  ever  contains  more 
than  three  feet  water,  and  after  a  great  easterly 
storm  its  mouth  is  generally  stopped  up  by  sand 
washed  into  it  from  the  workings  of  the  ocean ;  after 
which  the  waters  of  the  bays  again  tear  themselves  a 
passage,  and  wash  the  sand  which  has  filled  up  the 
inlet  into  the  ocean.  These  large  bays,  each,  con 
tain  about  twenty-five  square  miles  of  surface,  and  at 
their  deepest  part  do  not  exceed  five  feet.  Their 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  23 

general  depth  is  from  three  to  five  feet.  Rehoboth, 
the  most  northerly  of  these  bays,  is  nearly  square  in 
shape,  and  extends  parallel  with  the  ocean,  separated 
from  it  by  the  ridge  before  mentioned  for  about  six 
miles.  It  is  probably  six  miles  long  by  about  five 
broad.  Love  Creek,  Middle  Creek,  Herring  Creek, 
and  Guinea  Creek  flow  into  it.  All  of  them  shallow 
streams.  It  is  separated  from  Indian  River  Bay  by 
a  neck  of  land  called  Long  Neck,  and  several  marshy 
islands,  (now  called  Burtons,)  but  in  the  old  maps 
called  Staten  Islands,  where  it  is  mentioned  as  abound 
ing  in  oysters  and  terrapins.  It  is  at  this  time,  how 
ever,  too  salt  for  oysters  to  live  in,  and  consequently 
none  can  be  found  there.  Indian  River  Bay  is  about 
eight  miles  long,  and  from  two  to  four  broad.  It  only 
fronts  about  three  miles  on  the  Atlantic,  from  which 
it  is  separated  by  the  narrow  ridge  before  described. 
It  extends  lengthwise  nearly  due  west  into  the  State. 
Indian  River,  on  which  is  situated  the  town  of  Mils- 
boro',  a  broad  shallow  stream  flowing  due  east, 
and  of  which  it  is  a  continuation,  enters  it.  Pepper 
Creek,  Vine  Creek,  and  White  Creek,  streams  of  no 
importance,  (although  making  a  great  show  in  the 
map,)  flow  into  it.  On  Pepper  Creek  is  situated  the 
town  of  Dagsboro,  and  on  White  Creek  that  of  Frank- 
ford.  The  small  depth  of  water  at  the  mouth  of  In 
dian  River  Inlet  creates  the  necessity  of  forcing  the 
shallops  over  the  bar  by  kedging.  This  causes  a  thump 
ing  of  the  vessel's  keel  on  the  sand,  which  drives  the 
bilge  water  into  the  hold,  and  spoils  much  of  the  grain, 
which  is  the  general  cargo  of  these  vessels. 


24  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

Fresh  Pond  and  Salt  Pond  are  the  names  of  two 
remarkable  ponds  in  Baltimore  hundred,  situated 
on  the  Atlantic  coast,  a  few  miles  south  of  Indian 
River  Bay.  Fresh  Pond  is  about  half  a  mile  long  by 
one  or  two  hundred  yards  wide,  and  about  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  feet  deep.  It  has  no  outlet,  and  ap 
parently  no  streams  flowing  into  it.  It  contains 
beautiful  fresh  water,  and  a  few  fish.  The  ridge  of 
sand  between  it  and  the  Atlantic  is  not  more  than  an 
eighth  of  a  mile  wide.  Great  storms  sometimes  wash 
away  a  portion  of  this  ridge,  and  let  the  salt  water 
into  the  pond.  But  the  ocean  again  forms  the  ridge, 
and  restores  things  to  the  condition  they  were  in 
before. 

Salt  Pond  is  another  body  of  water  about  the  size 
of  Fresh  Pond,  and  situated  within  about  three  miles 
to  the  south  of  it.  It  is  probably  one-half  of  a  mile  fur 
ther  from  the  ocean  than  Fresh  Pond,  and  the  Atlan 
tic  does  not  break  through  its  banks  and  encroach  on 
its  waters,  as  in  the  case  of  Fresh  Pond.  It,  like 
Fresh  Pond,  has  no  outlet.  Its  waters  are  very  salt, 
far  more  so  than  those  of  the  ocean  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  such  a  slight  barrier.  Indeed,  it  is  so 
salt  that  no  fish  can  live  in  it.  Salt  works  were  once 
erected  on  its  banks,  and  a  great  deal  of  salt  extracted 
from  it.  Salt  is  still  manufactured  from  its  waters 
by  the  citizens  of  the  neighborhood  for  their  own  use. 

Assawaman  Bay  is  the  last  body  of  water  in  Dela 
ware.  The  head  of  it  is  formed  by  Jefferson  Creek, 
which  flows  into  it  from  the  north.  It  is  a  long  shal 
low  bay  about  seven  miles  long  from  one  to  one-half  a 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  25 

mile  broad,  and  from  four  to  five  feet  deep,  navigable 
only  for  boats.  It  is  separated  from  the  Atlantic  by 
a  long  narrow  ridge  of  land,  from  a  mile  to  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  wide,  called  Fenwick's  Island.  It 
flows  into  St.  Martin's  Bay,  in  the  State  of  Maryland, 
which  is  about  fifteen  miles  long,  and  which  has  its 
outlet  in  the  Atlantic  through  an  inlet  formed  by  the 
termination  of  Fenwick's  Island  and  the  Island  of 
Assateague.  After  passing  Fenwick's  Island  it  takes 
the  name  of  Sinepuxent  Bay.  Williams'  Creek,  a 
shallow  stream,  flows  into  Assawaman  Bay.  Fenwick's 
Island  is  not  an  island,  but  a  long  narrow  cape  and 
rirjge  of  land,  generally  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile  wide, 
and  about  twenty-three  miles  long,  covered  with  oak, 
scrub-oak  and  pine,  about  one-third  in  Delaware,  and 
the  other  two-thirds  in  Marjdand.  It,  with  the 
islands  of  Assateague,  Chincoteague,  Wallop's,  and 
other  islands  form  a  series  of  shallow  sounds  stretch 
ing  from  the  southern  boundary  of  our  State  to  Cape 
Charles,  at  the  head  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  On  this 
island,  at  the  Atlantic,  the  southern  boundary  line  of 
the  State  of  Delaware  commences.  Hence  the  say 
ing  of  Delawareans  when  they  wish  to  express  the 
utmost  limits  of  the  State,  "from  Naaman's  Creek 
to  Fenwick's  Island,"  similar  to  the  expression  of 
the  Israelites,  of  from  Dan  to  Beersheba,  or  that  of  the 
Britons,  from  Land's  End  to  John  0' Groats. 

This  finishes  our  list  of  creeks  and  harbors  on  the 
Delaware  River  and  Bay.  This  noble  bay,  which, 
with  the  Atlantic,  forms  our  eastern  boundary, 
abounds  with  fish  and  fowl.  Outside  of  the  capes, 
on  the  Atlantic,  milletts  are  caught  in  immense  quan- 


26  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

titles  by  angling.  Within  the  Assawaman,  Indian 
River,  and  Rehoboth  Bays  fish  and  terrapins  abound ; 
the  fish  are  mostly  rock,  flounders,  perch  and  eels. 
Around  the  Breakwater  are  caught  immense  quan 
tities  of  black-fish  and  lobsters.  Within  the  bay 
are  taken  the  perch,  the  trout,  the  alewive,  the  sea 
crocus,  (better  known  by  the  name  of  the  spot,)  the 
sheepshead,  as  well  as  the  drum  and  the  eel.  Terrapins 
abound  on  the  shore,  and  oysters  are  found  in  im 
mense  quantities  in  various  portions  of  the  bay,  and 
in  Mispillion,  Broadkiln,  Port  Mahon,  and  other 
rivers  and  harbors  of  the  State.  Shad  and  herring 
are  found  in  the  bay,  river,  and  all  the  principal 
streams.  The  man-nin-nose,  a  delicious  shell  fish, 
(shaped  something  like  a  clam,  only  with  a  soft  shell,) 
is  dug  up  from  under  the  sand.1  The  kingcrab  is  cast 
up  in  untold  numbers  every  tide  by  the  waters  of 
the  bay,  and  although  not  fit  for  food,  serves  a  valua 
ble  purpose  by  being  fed  to  hogs,  and  ground  up  into 
what  is  now  called  "  cancerine,"  and  placed  upon  the 
land,  where  it  has  proved  a  most  valuable  fertilizer. 
The  crocus,  (or  spot,)  the  sheepshead,  and  the  drum 
are  particularly  plenty,  and  are  by  some  thought  to 
be  peculiar  to  the  Delaware.  The  crocus,  or  "  spot,'7 
derives  its  name  from  a  little  black  spot  on  each  side 
of  its  head  about  as  big  as  a  five-cent  piece.  The 
sheepshead  have  a  mouth  and  teeth  exactly  like  a 
sheep,  and  are  nearly  as  broad  as  long.  The  drum 
fish  are  caught  principally  on  Mispillion  (generally 

1  I  do  not  know  whether  the  name  of  this  fish  is  spelt  correctly.  I 
have  never  seen  it  either  written  or  printed,  and  never  heard  of  it 
out  of  Delaware. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  27 

called  by  the  residents  Mushmellon)  Flats,  in  the  bay 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Mispillion.  They  get  their 
name  from,  when  swimming  under  water,  making  a 
noise  like  a  drum.  They  are  caught  with  a  hook 
and  line,  and  often  weigh  twenty  pounds.  From 
their  weight  there  is  often  difficulty  in  hauling  them 
in.  In  addition  to  wild  ducks  and  geese,  the  curlew 
and  crane  frequent  the  shores  of  our  State.  There  are 
but  few  of  the  latter,  however,  to  be  seen. 

Although  several  streams  flowing  into  the  Chesa 
peake  Bay  have  their  rise  in  Delaware,  yet  the  only 
three  of  any  importance  are  the  Nanticoke,  the  Broad 
Creek  and  the  Pokomoke.  The  Nanticoke  is  naviga 
ble  for  large  schooners  and  steamboats  to  the  impor 
tant  town  of  Seaford.  The  Broad  Creek,  to  a  village* of 
a  few  houses,  named  Portsville,  about  three  miles 
from  the  town  of  Laurel.  The  Broad  Creek  flows  into 
the  Nanticoke  eight  or  nine  miles  below  the  town  of 
Laurel,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  the  town  of 
Seaford.  The  Pokomoke  River,  which  flows  through 
and  past  the  Cypress  Swamp  in  a  southerly  direction, 
is  navigable  for  small  vessels.  The  principal  streams 
which  take  their  rise  on  the  ridge  in  this  State,  and 
flow  into  the  Chesapeake,  are  the  Back  Creek,  the 
Bohemia,  and  the  Sassafras,  in  New  Castle  county. 
The  Chester,  the  Choptank,  and  the  Marshy  Hope, 
in  Kent  county,  and  the  Wicomico,  in  Sussex  county. 
The  Marshy  Hope  derives  its  principal  importance 
from  being  deepened  and  arranged  as  a  drain  for  the 
celebrated  marsh  of  that  name  in  Kent  county.  All 
the  above  mentioned  streams  expand  when  they  reach 
Maryland  into  large  and  important  rivers. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Geology  of  the  State — Its  Northern  Boundary  Curved — Underlaid  by 
Beds  of  Rocks  north  of  Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore 
Railroad — High  Hills — Depth  of  Soil — Rocks  composed  of  Gneiss, 
Feldspathian  Rock,  Limestone,  Serpentine,  Granite — Decompo 
sition  of  Gneiss  in  Christiana  and  Mill  Creek  Hundreds — Depth 
of  Deposits — Garnets — Granite  fused  into  Rock — Magnetic  Iron 
Ore  in  Christiana  Hundred—  Feldspathian  (blue  rock)  from  Wil 
mington  to  Naaman's  Creek — Hardness  of  the  Rock — Shellpot 
Hill  composed  of  it — Limestone  in  Mill  Creek  and  Christiana 
Hundreds,  of  excellent  quality — Serpentine  Rock,  abounds  in 
Feldspar — Spar  Quarries — Asbestos — Chromic  Iron — Hematic 
Iron  Ore  and  Kaolin  in  Mill  Creek  Hundred — Rock  overlayed  by 
Deposits  of  Sand  and  Gravel — Soil  of  Upper  Hundreds  tenacious 
and  heavy — Second,  Tertiary  and  Recent  Formations — Table 
Land  of  the  State — The  Ridge — Red  Clay  Formations — Clay  un 
der  New  Castle,  Christiana  Village,  Red  Lion  Hundred — Iron 
Hill  and  Iron  Ore — Red  Clay  Formation  extends  over  Hundreds 
of  New  Castle,  Red  Lion  and  Pencader — Green  Sand  or  Marl 
Formation  extends  over  St.  George's  Hundred — Value  in 
Agriculture — Analysis  of  Marl  in  Deep  Cut  of  Canal,  Organic 
Remains,  Amber,  Ammonite,  Lignite,  Tertiary — Yellow  Clays 
of  Appoquinimink — Blackbird  Hill,  the  Levels  and  Ponds  in 
them,  Petrified  Wood — Lower  Part  of  Appoquinimink  Loamy — 
Geology  of  Duck  Creek  Hundred,  Rock — Soil  of  Kent  County — 
Geology  on  Murderkill  Creek — Shells,  Clays  and  Sands  of  Kent — 
Bog  Ore — Springs  at  Dover — Neck  Lands  of  Kent — Marsh  Lands 
of  the  Ridge  in  Kent — Soil  Burns  like  Coal — Recent  Formations — 
Clay  and  Sand  of  Sussex,  Clay  Predominates — Soil  of  Sussex 
County,  Stiff  Clays  and  Blowing  Sands — Medium  Texture  in 
Northwest  Fork  Hundred  and  the  Neck — Course  of  the  Clay  Bed — 
Iron  Ore  in  Sussex — Sands  of  Sussex — Soil  Blown  away  by  the 
Winds — Sand  Hills — River  Deposits — Neck  Lands  of  the  State 
formed  by  them— Blue  Mud— Salt  Marshes  of  the  State,  can  be 
embanked — Chalybeate  Springs  and  Water  in  the  City  of  Wil 
mington  and  over  the  whole  State. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  29 

THE  geological  formation  of  the  State  is  as  follows  : 
the  surface  of  its  northern  or  curved  boundary  to  a 
line  crossing  it  at  a  little  north  of  the  Philadelphia, 
Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  and  containing 
about  one  hundred  square  miles  of  territory,  (com 
prising  the  hundreds  of  Brandywine,  Christiana, 
Mill  Creek,  and  part  of  White  Clay  Creek,)  is  com 
posed  of  a  comparatively  confused  mass  of  beautifully 
moulded  hills,  with  a  bold  and  rounded  outline, 
always  elevated,  and  often  rising  several  hundred 
feet  above  tide  water,  and  affording  an  outlet  to  the 
waters  of  rain,  springs  and  creeks,  through  deeply 
cleft  valleys,  with  rounded  or  abrupt  rocky  sides. 
These  hills,  however,  nowhere  exceed  five  hundred 
feet  in  height.  The  whole  of  this  district  is  un 
derlaid  by  continuous  beds  of  primary  rock,1  which,  in 
many  cases,  may  be  observed  cropping  out  of  the 
ground.  The  soil,  though  varying  in  particular  locali 
ties,  is  generally  uniform  in  its  character,  being  argil 
laceous,2  and  mingled  with  a  greater  or  less  quantity 
of  gravel,  while  an  alluvial3  deposit  of  a  similar  charac 
ter  covers  the  rocks  to  the  variable  depth  of  from 
one  to  sixty  feet,  and  perhaps  still  more.  Of  these 
rocks  there  are  five  different  kinds,  called  by  geolo 
gists  gneiss,4  feldspathic5  rock,  limestone  and  serpen- 

1  Rock  supposed  to  be  first  formed. 

2  Composed  of  clay. 

3  Composed  of  matter  deposited  by  the  water. 

*  A  stratified  primary  rock,  generally  composed  of  quartz,  feldspar 
and  mica.  Mica  is  a  transparent  glistening  mineral. 

6  A  eilicious  or  flinty  rock.  The  constituent  parts  of  which  are 
silica,  alumina  and  potash. 


30  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

tine.1  The  remainder  is  of  a  granitic  character.  Nearly 
the  whole  (or  T9^)  are  gneiss  and  feldspathic  rock,  of 
which  the  former  (gneiss)  composes  about  three- 
fourths  of  this  portion  of  our  State.  The  mica  is  more 
prevalent  in  it  than  its  other  constituents.  This 
gneiss  is  of  various  degrees  of  hardness,  in  some  in 
stances  it  can  be  cut  by  a  knife,  and  then  again  the 
steel  itself  is  abraded  by  it.  This  decomposition  of 
the  gneiss  may  be  observed  chiefly  in  the  southern 
portion  of  Christiana  and  Mill  Creek  hundreds,  and 
along  the  Newport  Pike,  in  the  neighborhood  of  New 
port.  In  some  places  the  deposits  above  the  rocks  of 
this  decayed  stone  are  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet, 
and  how  much  more  has  not  been  determined,  although 
it  is  believed  the  solid  rock  does  not  lay  far  beneath. 
In  the  northern  portions  of  Brandywine,  Christiana, 
and  Mill  Creek  hundreds  this  stone  becomes  hard  in 
its  character.  In  many  places,  amongst  the  north 
west  portions,  the  two  former  hundreds,  the  common 
red  garnet2  is  diffused  amongst  it.  On  the  Kennett 
Pike,  about  five  miles  from  Wilmington,  the  quartz 
has  the  appearance  of  having  been  ejected  or  fused  in 
a  liquid  state  into  this  rock.  Magnetic  iron  ore  is 
occasionally  found  in  the  northwest  portion  of  Chris 
tiana  hundred. 

The  feldspathic  rock,  better  known  by  the  common 
name  of  blue  rock,  occurs  chiefly  along  the  Delaware, 

1  A  species  of  rock  or  mineral  crystallized  and  massive,  and  also 
fibrous  and  foliated  or  leaved,  and  composed  chiefly  of  hydrous  sili 
cate  of  magnesia. 

2  A  mineral  or  gem  of  a  red  color. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  31 

from  Naaman's  Creek  to  Wilmington,  and  from  thence 
may  be  observed  at  intervals  to  the  western  State  line, 
being  indicated..by  projecting  masses  of  the  solid  bed, 
or  by  huge  b&lilders,  upon  whose  sharpened  outline 
the  atmosphere  appears  to  have  had  no  effect.  This 
rock  extends  over  one-fourth  of  the  primary  portion  of 
our  State,  the  gneiss  occupying  nearly  the  other  three- 
fourths.  It  is  composed  generally  of  crystalline 
masses  of  smoky  feldspar  and  quartz,  with  occasional 
plates  of  mica,  and  more  rarely  veins  abounding  in 
hornblende.1  The  feldspar  is  the  most  abundant, 
sometimes  constituting  the  entire  rock.  This  rock  is 
found  also  along  the  Brandywine  and  the  Concord 
Turnpike.  Shellpot  Hill  is  supposed  to  be  entirely 
composed  of  it.  It  abounds  on  the  top  of  the  hill 
skirting  the  Brandywine  near  Riddle's  Factories, 
although  there  it  is  of  so  light  a  color  as  hardly  to 
merit  the  name  of  blue.  In  blasting,  enormous  masses 
of  this  rock  are  frequently  heaved  from  the  solid  bed, 
and  are  capable  of  being  split  in  wedges  in  any  re 
quired  direction. 

Limestone,  although  occupying  an  unimportant  ex 
tent  of  country,  in  comparison  with  the  gniess  and 
feldspathic  rock,  occurs  in  great  abundance  near  Pike's 
Creek,  and  near  Hockessin  Meeting  House,  in  Mill 
Creek  hundred,  where  it  is  extensively  quarried.  It 
also  occurs  about  two  miles  wrest  of  Centreville,  and 
at  Smith's  Bridge,  in  Christiana  hundred,  and  where 
the  Brandywine  enters  the  State.  It  is  generally 

1  Having  the  ingredients  of  silica,  magnesia,  lime  and  iron. 


32  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

pure  marble,  essentially  composed  of  lime,  magnesia, 
and  carbonic  acid.  It  lays  in  heavy  beds.  This 
lime  is  unequalled  for  agricultural  and  building  pur 
poses. 

Serpentine  occurs  about  six  miles  northwest  from 
Wilmington,  where  it  exists  in  its  greatest  extent  on 
a  ridge  of  about  one  mile  in  length,  with  a  breadth  of 
about  half  a  mile.  At  one  place  it  rises  in  a  green 
rock,  abruptly  from  a  meadow  near  Green  Hill  School- 
house,  in  Mill  Creek  hundred.  It  is  traversed  by  a 
granitic  vein  so  rich  in  pure  feldspar  as  to  originate 
the  "  Dixons  Spar  Quarries,"  in  order  for  its  employ 
ment  in  the  manufacture  of  porcelain.  Asbestos1  can 
be  found  there  in  large  quantities,  as  well  as  other 
minerals  incidental  to  it,  amongst  which  is  chromic 
iron,  a  mineral  of  some  value.  But  it  has  not  been 
detected  in  any  quantity,  although  diligently  sought 
after.  Another  body  of  serpentine  exists  near  the 
State  line,  and  where  the  Brandywine  enters  the 
State,  generally  of  a  light  green  color,  and  containing 
hematitic  iron  ore  of  a  good  quality.  It  is  this  ore 
that  gives  it  its  green  color.2 

The  granite  found  in  Delaware  is  principally  in  a 


1  This  is  a  fire-proof  mineral ;  can  be   woven  in  connection  with 
cotton,  tow  or  other    textile  fabrics,  and  fire-proof  garments  made 
from  it.     It  is  a  common  practice  to  cleanse  garments  of  asbestos  by 
throwing  them  in  the  fire. 

2  Grace  Church,  in  the  City  of  Wilmington,  the  most  magnificent 
Methodist  Church  in  the  United  States,  is  built  of  serpentine.     It  was 
obtained  near  Chadd's    Ford,    the  site   of   the    Brandywine  battle 
ground,  about  three  miles  beyond  the  Delaware  line.     It  is  part,  how 
ever,  of  the  same  bed  with  that  in  Delaware. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  33 

vein  traversing  the  serpentine  rock.  It  is  charac 
terized  by  its  abundant  contents  of  very  pure  white 
feldspar,  unusually  free  from  oxyd  of  iron,  a  circum 
stance  from  which  it  derives  its  principal  value.  It 
also  contains  numerous  minerals.  Indeed,  the  ser 
pentine  and  granite  together,  offer  the  finest  mineral 
locality  contained  in  the  State  of  Delaware.  When 
feldspar  undergoes  decomposition  it  forms  a  species 
of  clay  known  under  the  name  of  kaolin,  which  pos 
sesses  great  value  in  the  manufacture  of  china  ware 
and  porcelain,  especially,  when  free  from  oxyd  of 
iron.  This  substance  has  been  found  in  a  few  locali 
ties,  but  being  deposited  in  small  brooks,  it  is  too 
limited  to  demand  attention.  A  large  deposit  exists 
just  across  the  Pennsylvania  line,  from  Mill  Creek 
hundred. 

Overlying  the  primary  rocks  of  our  State  is  a 
diluvial  deposit  of  clay,  sand  and  gravel,  arising  from 
the  uneven  surface  of  the  rocks,  and  amounting  at 
times  to  at  least  sixty  feet  in  depth.  On  the  south 
eastern  edge  of  this  rocky  region,  it  consists  of  a  dark 
red  clay,  embodying  in  places  a  large  proportion  of 
gravel,  as  may  be  seen  more  strikingly  in  the  cuttings 
of  nearly  all  the  roads  through  that  region,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Wilmington.  This  deposit  of  clay 
has  a  necessary  influence  in  rendering  the  soil  of  the 
upper  hundred  tenacious  and  heavy. 

South  of  the  Christiana  and  White  Clay  Creek  the 
geology  of  the  State  undergoes  a  change,  and  instead 
of  rocky  or  primary  formation,  we  have  what  is  called 
upper  secondary,  tertiary,  and  recent  formation.  It 

3 


34  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

presents  a  comparatively  level  country,  or  table  land, 
generally  sloping  east  and  west  towards  the  Dela 
ware  and  Chesapeake  Bays  from  an  elevated  strip  of 
land  several  miles  in  breadth,  on  which  the  streams 
flowing  east  and  west  take  their  rise  in  swamps  and 
morasses,  and  cut  their  channels  through  the  yielding 
soil.  The  name  of  water-shed  or  dividing  ridge  is 
applied  to  this  narrow  track,  which  extends  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  State.  From  the  boundary 
of  the  primary  or  rocky  region  to  the  southern  boun 
dary  of  New  Castle  county  is  a  series  of  clays,  sands 
and  gravels,  which  are  called  upper  secondary  forma 
tions.  But  all  the  tracts  bordering  on  the  Delaware, 
from  New  Castle  to  Sussex,  has  an  argillaceous  or 
clayey  soil.  This  upper  secondary  formation  is  called 
by  Booth,1  the  geologist,  from  whom  we  extract  our 
information,  the 

RED    CLAY    FORMATION, 

from  their  being  composed  of  a  series  of  clays,  in 
which  the  red  color  predominates,  although  inconsider 
able  veins  of  white  are  mixed  with  it.  The  rod  clay 
is  often  covered  with  heavy  beds  of  sand  and  gravel, 
although  it  may  often  be  seen  cropping  out  of  the 
ground,  and  again  may  be  observed  where  cuttings 
have  been  made  for  the  roads.  It  underlies  the  town 
of  New  Castle,  where  beds  of  it  have  been  penetrated 
at  one  instance  to  the  depth  of  seventy  feet,  and  in 

1  James  C.  Booth,  who  was  appointed  for  that  purpose  by  the  Le 
gislature,  made  a  geological  examination  of  the  State  in  1837  and 
1838. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  35 

another  case  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet.     At  one 
place  below  this  town,  on  the  Delaware  shore,  how 
ever,  the  white  clay  predominates,  where  it  is  found 
in  great  abundance  and  purity,  and  has  been  used  for 
the  manufacture  of  crucibles  for  making  glass  and 
other  valuable  articles  for  near  seventy  years.     The 
neighborhood   of  Christiana  village  affords   the  best 
place  for  studying  this  red  clay  formation,  which  pre 
sents  excellent  sections  in  the  banks  of  the  creek,  and 
on   the  road  cuttings,  the  upper   portion  frequently 
lying  from  sixty  to  eighty  feet  above  tide-water.  The 
red  clay  may  also  be  observed  in  numerous  places  in 
New    Castle,    Pencader,    and    Red    Lion   hundreds. 
Along  Red  Lion  Creek  and  its  tributaries  it  crops  out 
of  the  sides  of  the  hills,  and  generally  constitutes  the 
beds  of  the  streams.     Iron   pyrites1  are    sometimes 
abundantly  contained  in  it,  which  accounts   for  the 
frequent    occurrence   of  iron   stone   and  ferruginous 
bands.     From    Newark    to   Summit    Bridge,  on    the 
dividing  ridge,  the  soil  is  argillaceous,  composed  of 
white  and  yellow  clays,  with  a  bed  of  gravel  and  sand 
below,  which  rests  on  another  bed  of  clay.     From  the 
track  of  what  used  to  be  the  French  town  Railroad  to 
the  Summit  Bridge  the  geology  is  little  else  than  soil 
and  gravel.     In   the   vicinity  of  White   Clay   Creek 
there    are    several    outlying    spurs    of    considerable 
height,   of  which    Iron  Hill  is  the  most  important. 
This  elevation,   rising  abruptly  from,  and  traversing 
far  above  the  plain,  consists  of  clays,  sand  and  gravel, 

1  These  pyrites  are  of  a  yellow  color,  shine  like,  and  have  the  ap- 
peaiance,  of  gold.     They  are  frequently  called  "fool's  gold." 


36  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

and  derives  its  name  from  the  abundance  of  iron, 
stone  and  ferruginous1  quartz  scattered  over  its 
flanks,  the  latter  of  which  was  probably  at  one  time 
of  good  quality,  but  through  exposure  to  atmospheric 
agents  has  been  rendered  valueless.  An  excavation 
has  been  made  on  the  summit  for  the  extraction  of 
iron  ore  to  the  depth  of  forty  to  fifty  feet,  which  en 
ables  us  to  estimate  the  character  of  this  singular  hill. 
The  mass  of  earth  is  highly  argillaceous  loam,  inter 
spersed  with  large  and  frequent  masses  of  yellow, 
ochry  clay,  some  of  which  are  remarkable  for  fine 
ness  of  texture,  not  unlike  lithomarge,2  and  consists 
of  white,  yellow,  red,  and  dark  blue  clays  in  detached 
spots.  Nodules  of  iron  ore  are  abundantly  distributed 
through  the  whole  formation.  Large  quantities  of 
this  ore  has  been  exported.  The  depth  of  the  red 
clay  formation  is  estimated  at  250  feet. 

Towards  the  southern  border  of  the  red  clay  for 
mation,  which  extends  over  the  hundreds  of  New 
Castle,  Red  Lion  and  Pencader,  and  which  conse 
quently  possess  a  soil  of  a  heavier  nature  than  usual, 
a  deposit  of  yellow  sand  begins  to  appear,  in  elevated 
situations,  and  becomes  gradually  thicker  as  the  red 
clay  sinks  below  it,  until  we  approach  the  Delaware 
and  Chesapeake  Canal,  where  it  takes  up,  and  in 
cludes  in  it,  the  celebrated  green  sand  or  marl,  which 
has  added  so  much  to  the  fertility  of  the  lands  in  the 
neighborhood.  This  has  been  denominated  the 

1  Partaking  of  the  nature  of  iron. 
a  A  mineral  used  for  drying  paint. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  37 

GREEN    SAND   OR    MARL    FORMATION. 

These  two  sands  in  combination  occupy  the  whole 
of  St.  George's  hundred.  The  yellow  usually  pre 
ponderates  over  the  other,  sometimes  presenting  bluffs 
fifty  feet  in  height,  whilst  the  green  sand  rarely 
exceeds  thirty  feet  in  thickness.  There  appears  to  be 
two  principal  deposits  of  green  sand,  the  upper  and 
lower,  which  rarely  unite  to  form  one  stratum,  and  are 
often  separated  by  twenty  or  thirty  feet  of  yellow  sand. 
The  lower  stratum  is  chiefly  confined  to  the  canal, 
whilst  the  upper,  although  visible  at  the  Deep  Cut  in 
the  canal,  first  assumes  importance  several  miles  to 
the  southward.  Both  deposits  derive  their  character 
from  a  green  substance  with  which  they  abound,  and 
which  being  in  the  form  of  small  grains,  received  the 
name  of  green  sand,  but  this  granular  form  being  the 
only  property  in  common  with  ordinary  silicious  sand, 
the  two  should  not  be  confounded  together ;  for 
whilst  the  latter  contains  principally  one  ingredient, 
silica  or  flint,  the  green  sand  is  composed  of  five  or 
six,  amongst  which  are  potassa  and  lime,  two  sub 
stances  of  the  highest  value  in  agriculture.  The  soil 
on  the  neck  lands  and  dividing  ridge  of  St.  George's 
hundred  is  rather  argillaceous  and  heavy,  but  through 
the  rest  of  the  hundred  the  yellow  sand,  rising  to  the 
surface,  assumes  the  character  of  a  loam,  that  can 
scarcely  be  excelled  for  the  well  proportioned  mixture 
of  fine  sand  and  clay,  and  proves  itself  capable  of  the 
highest  degree  of  improvement.  An  analysis  of  the 
two  descriptions  of  marl  are  as  follows,  viz. :  in  one, 
carbonate  of  lime,  20;  green  sand,  38;  silicious  sand, 


38  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

32;  clay,  10;  total,  100.  In  the  other,  silica,  58-10; 
p^tassa,  7'55;  protoxide  of  iron,  22*13;  alumina, 
5-14;  lime,  a  trace  water,  8'22 ;  total  101-13.  The 
quantities  of  these  constituents,  however,  differ  in 
various  degrees  in  the  different  localities.  The  fol 
lowing  shows  the  strata  of  the  State  at  one  place, 
through  the  deep  cut  of  the  canal,  at  about  one- 
quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  Summit  Bridge,  viz. :  soil, 
ferruginous  gravel  and  sand,  9  feet ;  black  tenacious 
clay,  7  feet;  ferruginous  brown  sand  and  clay  abounding 
in  ammonites,1  baculites,2  lignites3,  and  amber4  for  23 
feet.  Blue  micaceous  sand  and  clay,  with  same  organic 
remains  as  above  for  11  feet.  Ferruginous  sand  and 
clay  of  a  dull  green  color  for  62  feet.  White  silicious 
sand  and  lignite  abundant  for  5  feet.  Total,  61  i 
feet.  This  reaches  the  bottom  of  the  canal,  and  with 
two  others,  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  it,  are  the 
deepest  diggings  made  into  the  soil  of  Delaware. 
Exactly  at  the  Summit  Bridge  the  depth  of  the  cut 
to  the  bottom  of  the  canal  is,  however,  74  feet,  and 
they  bored  three  feet  below  the  bed  of  the  canal.  In 
this  they  found  iron  crusts,  and  numerous  organic 
remains  which  extended  as  far  as  the  boring.  Nu- 

1  The  shell  of  an  extinct  shell  fish  like  a  coiled  snake,  called  snake 
stone.     Called  so  for  ornaments  like  it  being  on  the  chair  of  the  statue 
of  Jupiter  Ammon. 

2  A  shell  similar  to  the  ammonite. 

3  Petrified  wood. 

4  A  beautiful  gum,  belonging  to  trees  long  extinct,  used  for  mouth 
pieces  of  pipes,  &c.     A  piece  of  amber  was  also  found  thirty  or  forty 
years  ago  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  S.  Higgins,  on  the  State  Road  near  the 
canal.     This  is  the  only  place  in  which  amber  has  been  found  in  this 
State,  save  in  the  deep  cut  of  the  canal. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  39 

merous  springs  flow  into  the  canal  from  this  deep  cut, 
holding  in  solution  so  great  a  quantity  of  sulphate  of 
iron  (copperas)  as  to  kill  all  the  fish  and  the  barna 
cles  on  the  bottom  of  vessels  passing  through  it.  All 
the  springs  nearly  of  the  deep  cut  give  evidence  of 
copperas  in  their  taste,  and  make  irony  deposits  at 
their  point  of  issue.  Iron  pyrites  constantly  abound 
through  the  sands  and  clays. 

Between  St.  George's  hundred  and  the  lower  part 
of  Kent  county  the  geology  of  the  State  again  un 
dergoes  a  change.  Between  these  points  exists  a 
series  of  beds  of  clays  and  sands,  comprising  two 
narrow  belts  abounding  in  organic  remains,  which  are 
different  from  upper  secondary,  and  therefore  the  ap 
pellation  of 

TERTIARY 

has  been  applied.  When  the  green  sand  or  marl 
reaches  Appoquinimink  hundred  it  descends  below  a 
yellowish  clay  or  loam,  which  underlies  this  hundred, 
from  which  it  is  separated  by  a  ferruginous  sandstone, 
sometimes  six  feet  in  thickness.  At  these  points  the 
clay  is  not  more  than  fifteen  feet  thick,  but  when  it 
reaches  Blackbird  it  constitutes  a  hill  thirty  feet  in 
height,  and  occasionally  alternates  with  deposits  of  yel 
lowish  sand.  This  contains  a  large  quantity  of  silicious 
sand,  and  in  many  localities  rises  nearly,  or  quite,  to 
the  surface,  and  imparts  to  the  soil  of  a  large  portion 
of  this  region  a  considerable  degree  of  tenacity,  and 
consequently  difficulty  of  working.  The  neck  lands, 
however,  as  well  as  the  western  part  of  this  hundred, 


40  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

offer  a  soil  of  superior  quality.  The  latter,  known  as 
the  Levels,  has  long  been  celebrated  for  fertility. 
The  soil  is  a  fine  loam,  and  capable  of  retaining  more 
moisture  in  consequence  of  the  yellow  clay  at  no 
great  distance  below  the  surface.  Indeed,  the  prox 
imity  of  this  clay,  combined  with  the  level  character 
of  the  country,  proves  an  annoyance  to  farmers  from 
ponds  of  water  forming  in  the  fields,  which  often  lie 
long  enough  to  injure  the  crops.  This  yellow  clay 
abounds  in  fragments  of  petrified  wood,  belonging  to 
an  ancient  species  of  pine,  the  only  specimen  of  or 
ganic  remains  hitherto  detected  in  it,  one  of  the  best 
localities  of  which  is  on  the  road  from  Odessa  to 
Blackbird,  between  half  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
from  the  former  place,  where  it  is  profusely  distri 
buted  in  the  gravel,  and  plowed  up  in  the  fields,  in 
masses  sometimes  weighing  thirty  pounds.  From 
the  nature  of  the  clay  it  is  supposed  that  they  have 
been  transported  in  the  state  of  wood  to  this  place, 
when  it  was  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  imbed 
ded  in  the  fine  mud,  and  there  have  been  converted 
into  stone,  the  vegetable  matter  having  been  replaced 
by  silica  and  alumina.  Similar  petrifactions  occur 
at  intervals  lower  down  the  State.  In  some  of  the 
streams  of  this  hundred  are  found  conglomerated 
masses  of  gravel  cemented  by  oxyd  of  iron.  In  the 
lower  part  of  this  hundred  are  found  at  times  the 
light  loam  and  sands  of  Kent  county} 

1  In  digging  a  well  some  years  since  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Benjamin 
Dennis,  near  Townsend,  in  this  hundred,  the  laborers  came  to  a  hard 
bed  of  sand  of  the  consistency  of  stone,  which  could  be  lighted  by  a 
candle  or  match,  and  would  then  burn  brilliantly. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  41 

In  the  northern  part  of  Kent  county,  on  Old  Duck 
Creek,  about  four  miles  from  Smyrna,  and  other 
places  in  that  vicinity,  a  strong  crust  is  observed  top 
ping  out  of  blue  clay,  containing  abundant  casts  and 
impressions  of  shells.  Crossing  the  dividing  ridge,  at 
the  head  of  the  Choptank,  near  the  mill,  there  is  a 
blue  clay  resembling  that  of  Old  Duck  Creek,  and 
which  is  supposed  to  be  a  continuation  of  it,  excepting 
in  the  absence  of  shell  impressions.  From  these  clay 
deposits  emanate  a  quantity  of  copperas.  Near  that 
branch  of  the  same  creek,  lying  immediately  south  of 
Smyrna,  are  found  large  masses  of  silicious  rock, 
which,  from  its  extreme  hardness  and  toughness,  could 
scarcely  be  supposed  to  have  had  its  birth  in  this 
region  of  soft  clays  and  light  sands,  had  it  not  been 
found  in  place  in  one  locality.  So  numerous  and 
large  were  the  blocks  on  a  farm  belonging  to  the  late 
Mr.  Cloak,  on  the  State  Road,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  branch,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  sink  them 
in  order  to  the  better  cultivation  of  the  land.  They 
consist  of  coarse  sand  and  gravel  cemented  by  sili 
cious  matter,  containing  frequent  casts  of  shells. 
Large  blocks  of  the  same  substance  were  found  on 
other  farms  in  the  vicinity.  Silified  shells  are  found 
abundantly  on  the  Kenton  Road,  five  miles  from 
Smyrna.  Although  the  soils  of  the  northern  part  of 
Kent  county  are  very  valuable,  yet  we  may  distin 
guish  three  things  which  are  most  prevalent,  viz. : 
those  of  the  neck  lands  of  a  heavy  character,  but  sup 
posed  to  be  the  most  fertile  in  the  State ;  those  of 
the  dividing  ridge,  consisting  of  very  heavy  bottoms, 


42  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

not  always  productive,  with  occasional  light  sand 
hills ;  and  lastly,  those  intermediate  between  them  in 
position,  and  occupying  a  much  greater  space.  They 
are  light  loams  easy  of  culture,  which,  by  the  energy 
of  the  farmers,  are  being  brought  up  to  the  highest 
degree  of  fertility. 

Crossing  the  middle  sections  of  Kent  the  tertiary 
is  found  more  fully  developed  on  the  streams  of  Mur- 
derkill  Creek.  The  lowest  stratum  is  visible  at  the 
head  waters  of  this  creek.  It  is  blue  clay,  closely 
resembling  that  at  Duck  Creek.  It  abounds  in  im 
pressions  of  shells  in  a  soft  clayey  state,  and  is  separated 
from  an  overlying  white  sandy  bed  by  a  hard  ferru 
ginous  crust,  containing  similar  organic  remains.  This 
white  sandy  bed  is  a  half-hardened  mixture  of  sand 
and  clay,  consisting  almost  wholly  of  shell  casts,  con 
taining  but  in  a  solitary  instance  a  trace  of  lime, 
which  was  a  shell  found  unaltered.  Twenty-five  feet 
is  the  greatest  ascertained  depth  of  the  tertiary.  Its 
clearest  indications  are  observed  at  Spring  Mills,  on 
a  fork  of  the  Murderkill  of  that  name,  near  Frederica. 

In  addition  to  the  tertiary  there  are  in  Kent 
County,  for  a  distance  of  about  twenty  miles,  a  series 
of  beds  of  clays  and  sands,  the  lowest  of  which  is 
clay,  observable  on  nearly  all  the  streams,  varying  in 
color  and  texture  in  the  same  locality,  but  generally 
of  a  yellowish  shade,  and  of  medium  fatness  or  rich 
ness,  and  the  upper  consisting  of  ferruginous  sands  or 
gravel.  Indications  of  these  formations  may  be  seen 
on  the  branches  of  Little  Creek;  at  Dover,  where  the 
sandy  nature  of  the  upper  beds,  and  the  upper  level 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  43 

of  the  clay,  are  indicated  by  the  numerous  springs  of 
excellent  water  which  issue  from  the  foot  of  nearly 
every  declivity.  Below  the  entrance  of  the  Tydbury 
Branch  into  Jones'  Creek,  at  Forrest  Landing,  where 
the  clay  rises  some  ten  feet  above  tide-water.  On 
one  of  the  head  branches  of  Jones'  Creek,  near 
Rashe's  Cross-roads,  beds  of  solid  iron  bog  ore,  of 
four-tenths  inches  in  thickness,  was  found  for  the  dis 
tance  of  a  mile.  From  the  similarity  of  soils  through 
out  a  great  part  of  Kent  county,  in  the  same  relative 
situation  they  may  be  classed  as  was  done  with  those 
in  New  Castle  county,  viz. :  with  the  exception  of 
the  marshes  bordering  on  the  bay,  all  that  low  land, 
known  as  the  neck  lands,  is  of  a  heavy  argillaceous 
character,  and  naturally  remarkably  fertile,  although 
some  of  them  have  been  subject  to  more  than  a  cen 
tury  of  excessive  tillage.  As  we  rise,  the  country  to 
the  westward,  and  meet  the  tertiary  deposits,  the 
soil  becomes  more  loamy,  corresponding  with  the 
subjacent  deposits,  and  as  these  become  covered  by 
loose  sand  towards  the  ridge,  the  surface  necessarily 
partakes  of  the  same  character.  Proceeding  from 
north  to  south  through  this  middle  section,  the  amount 
of  loose  sand  increases  in  depth  and  breadth,  so  that 
much  of  the  land  in  the  lower  part  of  Kent  county 
has  a  sandy  soil.  On  the  ridge  we  find  the  same 
alternations  of  light  sand  hills  and  heavy  clay  bottoms, 
which  was  noticed  in  New  Castle  county,  but  which 
in  Kent  are  more  strongly  contrasted.  In  addition, 
however,  to  these  is  a  vegetable  soil  too  remarkable 
to  be  passed  over  by  a  simple  notice,  viz. :  the  marsh 


44  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

lands,  situated  in  the  southern  and  western  part  of 
Kent,  and  on  the  ridge,  in  Sussex.  They  are  situ 
ated  on  the  branches  of  the  several  streams,  which, 
having  their  source  in  the  Delaware,  usually  flow  to 
wards  the  Chesapeake,  and  which,  originating  from 
rains  and  springs  in  the  midst  of  extensive  forests,  on 
a  broad  and  very  flat  surface,  with  a  clayey  substra 
tum  impervious  to  water,  and  becoming  clogged  and 
dammed  up  by  fallen  trees,  leaves,  and  other  brush 
wood,  naturally  expand  into  broad  basins  termed 
marshes.  The  luxuriant  growth  of  trees,  shrubs,  and 
smaller  plants,  and  their  constant  dilapidation  and 
decay  in  the  shallow  waters  of  the  sluggish  streams 
during  the  lapse  of  ages,  has  generated  a  black  vege 
table  mould,  averaging  three  feet  in  depth,  being 
rarely  less  than  six  inches,  and  sometimes  exceeding 
six  feet,  being  composed  throughout  of  the  same  mate 
rials.  It  was  not  until  the  close  of  the  past  or  the  present 
century  that  effectual  means  were  resorted  to  for  re 
covering  this  land  from  almost  constant  inundation, 
since  which  time  nearly  all  the  great  marshes  have 
been  drained  by  the  excavation  of  ditches,  or,  more 
properly,  canals,  in  the  natural  bed  of  the  stream,  and 
a  large  amount  of  the  most  fertile  soil  of  the  State 
brought  under  cultivation.  One  of  these  great 
ditches  increases  from  twelve  to  twenty-four  feet  in 
width  from  its  source  to  its  mouth,  a  distance  of  nine 
miles,  and  throws  off  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  in 
spring  to  float  a  moderate  sized  vessel.  The  Colbreth, 
Cow,  Herrington,  and  Tappaannah  marshes,  on  the 
west  of  Kent  county,  are  the  main  feeders  of  the 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  45 

Choptank,  and  Marsh  Hope,  in  the  south,  forms  a 
main  source  of  the  Northwest  Fork  River.  Heron- 
town  Bog,  another  of  the  great  marshes  of  Kent,  was 
drained  through  the  energy  of  the  late  ex-Governor 
Tharp  and  Alexander  Johnson,  Esq.  This  land,  which 
had  for  ages  been  the  roost  of  herons,  when  cultivated 
produced  from  ninety  to  one  hundred  bushels  of  corn 
to  the  acre.  The  principal  and  several  minor  branches 
of  the  Nanticoke  have  also  been  subject  to  drainage, 
besides  many  smaller  streams  in  Sussex.  When  all 
the  water  courses  shall  have  been  confined  in  a  similar 
manner,  in  their  proper  channels,  which,  from  the 
constant  improvements  going  on  in  the  State,  will  not 
be  long,  a  very  large  amount  of  fertile  soil  will  be 
brought  under  the  plow,  and  the  noxious  exhalations 
of  marshy  lands  will  cease  to  produce  disease,  to 
which  their  inundated  state  renders  them  subject. 
The  soil  of  these  marshes,  when  drained,  are  rarely 
so  light  and  spongy  as  not  to  admit  of  the  growing  of 
grain  after  a  little  cultivation.  The  quantity  of  or 
ganic  matter  in  them  is  so  great  that  during  a  dry 
season  the  soil  which  was  accidentally  fired  continued 
to  burn  like  coal,  and  was  only  extinguished  by  rain. 
The  remains  of  such  fires  have  been  observed  in  seve 
ral  instances,  when  the  carbonaceous  matter  having 
been  burned  out,  left  the  earthy  constituents  converted 
into  a  substance  resembling  brick  by  the  heat  of  the 
fire. 

To  the  southward  of  the  lower  tertiary,  and  as  far 
as  the  southern  limits  of  this  State,  containing  the 
hundreds  of  Mispillion  and  Milford,  in  Kent  county, 


46  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

and  the  whole  county  of  Sussex,  the  geology  of  Dela 
ware  undergoes  another  change,  and  what  are  called 

RECENT    FORMATIONS, 

or  land  supposed  to  be  recently  formed  by  nature, 
occur.  They  consist  of  a  deposit  of  clay  and  sand, 
with  a  preponderance  of  the  former,  to  which  no  date 
can  be  assigned,  except  in  a  few  instances,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  absence  of  organic  remains,  and  the 
impossibility  of  drawing  any  conclusion  relative  to 
their  age  from  their  mineral  character.  Thus  the  blue 
clay  on  Murderkill  Creek  could  not  be  distinguished 
from  similar  clay  on  the  shores  of  the  bay,  which  is 
quite  recent  in  its  origin,  except  by  comparing  the 
ordinary  bay  shells  of  the  latter  with  tertiary  shells  in 
the  former.  In  few  cases  where  shell  beds  have  been 
found,  there  are  no  indications  of  tertiary  fossils, 
the  shells  being  referable  only  to  the  same  genera  arid 
species  which  now  inhabit  the  waters  of  the  bay. 
The  surface  of  the  country  of  this  lower  part  of  Kent, 
and  county  of  Sussex,  is  much  more  level  than  the 
other  portions  of  the  State,  and  less  scooped  out  in 
ravines.  The  soil  is  also  more  variable,  offering  the 
two  extremes  of  stiff  clays  and  blowing  sands.  But 
in  several  instances,  as  in  Northwest  Fork  hundred, 
and  on  the  neck  lands,  it  is  of  medium  texture,  and 
endowed  with  superior  fertility.  The  greatest  thick- 
nerss  of  the  clays  is  forty  feet.  The  lowest  stratum 
is  a  yellowish  clay,  at  times  of  a  light  lead  color, 
alternating  with  thin  seams  of  sand,  and  superimposed 
by  yellowish  and  nearly  white  sand  of  very  variable 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  47 

thickness,  amounting  at  times  to  twenty  feet.  On 
the  Mispillion  Creek,  in  the  vicinity  of  Milford,  and 
to  the  west  of  it,  the  uppermost  stratum  is  of  loose 
sand,  with  an  occasional  argillaceous  bed,  below  which 
is  a  heavy  bed  of  clay,  extending  below  the  water 
level.  On  Mill  Branch,  about  a  mile  from  Milford, 
the  upper  stratum  is  a  loose  yellow  sand,  which  is 
underlaid  and  stratified  by  a  white  clay,  below  this 
is  a  fat  yellow  loam  reposing  on  white  sand.  On 
Cedar  Creek  below  Milford,  the  clay  lies  at  a  lower 
elevation,  whilst  the  superimposed  sand  is  of  con 
siderable  thickness.  From  the  abundance  of  super 
ficial  loose  sand,  the  soil  of  this  region  derives  its 
character ;  but  where  this  has  been  partially  removed 
there  are  basins,  with  a  substratum  of  clay,  which, 
being  impervious  to  water,  constitute  ponds,  that 
are  sometimes  a  convenience,  but  oftener  an  annoyance 
to  the  farmer.  At  Milton  the  clay  rises  to  the  height 
of  forty  feet  above  tide-water.  Proceeding  westward 
to  Lewes  the  same  beds  of  clay  present  themselves  at 
Cool  Spring.  The  same  clay  crops  out  at  the  beach, 
three  miles  south  of  Cape  Henlopen,  where  it  has 
been  uncovered  by  the  gradual  encroachment  of  the 
ocean,  and  although  no  traces  are  found  of  it  at  the 
head  of  Cypress  Swamp,  the  supposition  is  that  this 
clay  underlies  the  whole  country  between  Indian 
River  and  the  Nanticoke,  constituting  the  bases  of 
the  swamp,  for  it  is  well  developed  in  the  vicinity  of 
Laurel,  and  on  nearly  all  the  branches  of  the  Nanti 
coke,  rising  from  five  to  twenty  feet  above  tide- water. 
Under  the  town  of  Seaford  are  a  series  of  clays  of 


48  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

yellow  and  white  colors,  with  occasional  seams  of 
sand,  and  intervening  crusts  of  iron  stone,  the  whole 
rising  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  to  the  sandy  soil.  Small 
nests  of  shells  are  found  in  digging  on  the  banks  of 
the  Nanticoke,  between  Seaford  and  Concord,  near 
Cannon's  Ferry,  and  at  various  other  places.  Iron 
ore  of  the  bog  variety  is  found  in  several  parts  of 
Sussex  county.  Amongst  them  at  Little  Creek,  and 
on  Broad  Creek,  about  two  miles  east  from  Laurel ; 
a  few  miles  northwest  of  Georgetown,  on  Deep  Creek ; 
on  Green's  Branch,  eleven  miles  west  of  Millsboro' ; 
on  Burton's  Branch,  one  mile  from  the  same  town. 
At  one  time  there  were  a  number  of  forges  and  fur 
naces  that  manufactured  this  ore  into  iron,  and  the 
county  of  Sussex  was  mostly  supplied  with  that  ma 
terial  from  its  own  works.  A  great  deal  of  iron  ore 
was  also  exported  from  Sussex.  But  the  furnaces 
are  all  now  idle,  and  but  little,  if  any,  of  this  material 
is  now  sold  abroad. 

To  the  traveller  who  for  the  first  time  passes 
through  Sussex  county,  the  formations  would  appear 
to  consist  almost  entirely  of  loose  white  and  yellow 
sands,  but  a  more  thorough  investigation  shows  the 
fallacy  of  such  a  conclusion,  and  proves  that  in  refer 
ence  to  geological  deposits  the  clayey  greatly  pre 
dominates  over  the  sandy,  forming  the  substratum  of 
the  whole  county,  but  that  the  latter,  overlying  and 
capping  the  clay  over  a  large  proportion  of  the  sur 
face,  communicates  the  well  known  sandy  character 
to  the  soil.  These  two  upper  sands  probably  cover 
one-half  or  two-thirds  of  the  county,  are  of  variable 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  49 

thickness,  sometimes  yellowish  and  more  tenacious, 
at  other  times  nearly  white,  and  so  loose  as  to  be  rea 
dily  transported  by  the  winds.  This  sand  is  of  so 
loose  a  nature,  that  when  the  sod  has  been  removed 
in  an  exposed  situation,  the  action  of  the  wind  roots 
it  out  to  the  depth  of  several  feet,  distributing  it 
around  the  surrounding  soil,  or  heaping  it  against  a 
bush  fence  or  other  obstruction.  This  sand  is  some 
times  blown  into  steep  hills,  in  several  parts  of  the 
county.  These  sand  hills,  however,  must  not  be  con 
founded  with  the  hills  partly  of  sand  and  gravel  which 
exist  and  which  is  due  to  the  action  of  the  waves,  when 
the  State  was  covered  by  water,  and  which  was  formed 
in  a  similar  manner  to  the  bars  now  formed  in  the 
bay.  The  most  striking  of  these  hills  is  one  lying  to 
the  south  of  Milton,  and  between  Georgetown  and 
Lewes.  It  is  a  ridge  of  variable  breadth,  and  not 
more  than  fifty  feet  in  height,  apparently  in  a  north 
west  and  south-east  direction,  composed  of  fine  gravel 
and  sand,  and  a  sufficient  mixture  of  clay  to  render  it 
compact. 

There  is  another  branch  of  the  geology  of  Delaware 
which  comes  under  the  name  of 


RIVER   DEPOSITS, 


by  which  the  lands  bordering  on  river  and  bay,  called 
cur  neck  lands,  have  been  formed.  The  Delaware 
has  been  engaged  for  ages  in  transporting  sand  and 
clay  from  the  northward,  by  means  of  which  the  sand 
banks  and  shoals  of  the  bay  have  been  raised,  and  the 

heavy  soils  on  the  neck  lands  deposited.     A  large 
4 


50  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

number  of  these  shoals  are,  in  all  probability,  rem 
nants  of  the  land  which  united  Delaware  and  New 
Jersey  prior  to  the  wearing  away  of  its  channel  by 
the  river,  but  they  have  been  increased,  and  many  of 
them  entirely  formed  by  the  detritus  brought  down 
by  the  river.  A  boring  made  on  the  island,  on  which 
Fort  Delaware  is  situated,  by  Booth,  the  geologist, 
proved  it  to  have  been  wholly  formed  by  the  river 
deposits.  This  deposit  is  generally  known  by  the 
name  of  blue  mud,  and  it  is  this  blue  mud  which  gives 
the  neck  lands  of  our  State  their  great  fertility.  These 
neck  lands  are  those  tracks  which  border  on  the  De 
laware  from  New  Castle  to  Sussex.  The  most  cele 
brated  among  these  are  Raymond,  Little  Creek,  Prime 
Hook,  and  Slaughter  Necks.  Raymond's  Neck  is  sup 
posed  by  many  to  contain  the  best  land  in  the  State. 
It  is  supposed  that  the  noblest  forest  in  the  State 
exists  at  Prime  Hook  Neck,  in  Sussex  county,  con 
sisting  of  tulip  poplar,  black  walnut,  and  black  oak, 
remarkable  for  their  enormous  size  and  flourishing 
condition. 

From  the  upper  part  of  the  State  to  its  southern 
boundary,  on  the  Delaware  River  and  Bay,  and  the 
sea-coast,  are  skirted  by  marshes  of  varying  breadth, 
(better  known  by  the  name  of  salt  marshes,)  some 
times  exceeding  two  miles,  subject  at  times  to  inun 
dations,  consisting  of  flat  and  dark  colored  vegetable 
mould,  and  clothed  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  reeds 
and  grasses.  These  marshes  are  supposed  to  contain 
between  one  and  two  hundred  thousand  acres.  This 
marsh,  it  is  supposed,  could  be  embanked,  and  the 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  51 

land  brought  into  cultivation.  In  the  upper  portions 
of  the  State  this  has  been  successfully  done.  Un 
doubtedly  the  whole  of  this  land  will  finally  be  re 
covered  from  the  water,  as  the  substrata  of  the 
marshes  from  the  town  of  New  Castle  to  the  southern 
boundary  of  our  State  are  similar. 

We  shall  close  our  description  of  the  State  by 
stating  that  in  many  parts  are  chalybeate  springs 
of  excellent  qualities,  and  great  medical  virtues, 
amongst  them,  are  the  celebrated  Brandy  wine  Springs, 
about  three  miles  from  Wilmington;  others  near 
Brackenville,  in  Mill  Creek  hundred ;  on  the  Bran 
dy  wine  Creek,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Wil 
mington  ;  in  Duck  Creek  hundred,  not  far  from 
Smyrna;  at  Spring  Branch,  near  the  Town  of  Fre- 
derica  ;  near  the  Town  of  Laurel,  in  Sussex,  and  va 
rious  other  places  too  numerous  to  mention,  in  all  the 
counties  of  the  State.  In  nearly  every  quarter  of 
the  City  of  Wilmington,  chalybeate  water  is  reached 
by  digging  wells.  A  pump  of  this  water  used  to  be 
in  operation  near  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Spruce 
Streets,  now  covered  by  buildings.  Another  is  yet 
used  within  the  city  limits,  on  the  Newport  Pike. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Description  of  the  State  before  the  Arrival  of  the  White  Man — Fruit 
and  Corn  Grow  Wild — Diminishing  of  the  Streams — Disappear 
ance  of  Christina  Harbor — Diminished  width  of  the  Christiana — 
Cherry  Island  Marsh — Overflowing  of  the  Marshes — Diminishing 
of  Clement's  Run — Shellpot  Creek — Encroachment  of  Wilming 
ton  on  the  Christiana — Bars  formed  at  Blackbird  and  Mispil- 
lion  Creeks — Disappearance  of  Stone  Wharf  Creek  and  Syna- 
<puxent  Inlet — Dimunition  of  Lewes'  Creek — Loss  of  its  Trade — 
Description  of  Lewes'  Creek  from  a  Manuscript  in  the  British 
Museum — Encroachments  of  the  River,  Bay  and  Ocean  on  the 
State — Destruction  of  Graveyard  at  New  Castle — Port  Mahon, 
Duck  Creek,  Dona  River,  Bombay  Hook  Island,  the  Thorough 
fare — Destruction  of  the  Sand  Hills  on  the  Atlantic — Hen  and 
Chicken  Shcal  and  Island— Increase  of  Beach  near  the  Break- 
water — Extension  of  Cape  Henlopen — Abundance  of  Fish — Law 
passed  forbidding  the  Erection  of  Dams  across  the  Brandy- 
wine — Wild  Animals,  Bears,  Wolves,  Wild  Cats — Water  Fowl, 
Disappearance  of  the  Brant. 

WHEN  the  white  man  first  discovered  the  territory 
now  known  as  the  State  of  Delaware,  it  was  covered 
almost  entirely  with  a  large  growth  of  forest  trees? 
many  of  them  more  than  one  hundred  feet  high.  Indian 
corn,  various  kinds  of  fruits,  and  vines,  especially  the 
grapevine,  were  found  growing  luxuriantly  and  without 
cultivation.  The  latter  grew  so  thick  on  the  site  of  the 
town  of  New  Castle,  that  it  was  first  named  Grape 
vine  Point.  The  country  was  much  better  watered 
than  at  present,  for  the  clearing  off  of  the  woods  and 
draining  of  the  swamps  has  caused  many  streams, 
some  of  which  were  navigable,  to  disappear  entirely, 


HISTORY    OF   THE   STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  53 

and  others  that  once  floated  vessels  that  bore  the 
original  settlers  across  the  ocean,  to  so  diminish  in 
depth  that  they  will  now  hardly  float  the  smallest 
kind  of  boat  without  grounding.  The  harbor  or 
lake  back  of  Fort  Christina,  at  the  foot  of  Seventh 
street,  (within  the  limits  of  the  City  of  Wilmington,) 
where  the  Key  of  Kalmer  lay  that  brought  the  first 
Swedish  settlers  over,  together  with  the  creek  that 
connected  it  with  the  Christiana,  was  more  than  forty- 
nine  years  ago  filled  up,  and  workshops  are  now 
situated  on  its  site.  The  Christiana  was  then  over 
three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wider  above  Wilmington 
than  at  present.  All  the  ground,  from  the  foot  of 
Seventh  street  to  the  Delaware,  now  known  as 
Cherry  Island  Marsh,  was  under  water  at  high  tide, 
save  a  small  island  in  the  middle,  which  was  covered 
with  cherry  trees,  from  which  the  marsh  derives  its 
name.  The  marsh  opposite  the  city,  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  Christiana,  was  also  overflowed  at  high 
tide,  and  the  rocks,  where  the  late  John  K.  Kirk- 
man's  ship-yard  is  now,  and  the  Old  Ferry  Point  op 
posite  the  foot  of  Third  street,  (close  to  the  new 
Third  street  Bridge,  where  the  Townsend  Iron 
Works  are  now  built,)  were  then  denominated  the 
Capes  of  the  Christiana,  and  so  inscribed  on  the  re 
cords  of  the  county.  Between  those  two  points  and 
the  Delaware,  at  high  tide,  was  nothing  but  a  waste 
of  water,  save  the  small  spot  named  Cherry  Island. 
A  large  stream  that  eighty-five  years  ago  turned  a 
wheel  for  sawing  marble  at  the  westerly  corner  of 
Second  and  Orange  streets,  flowed  into  the  Chris- 


54  HISTORY   OF   THE   STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

tiana  at  the  foot  of  Shipley  street,  and  vessels  as 
cended  it,  and  boys  bathed  in  it  for  some  distance 
above  Front  street.  This  stream  has  now  disap 
peared.  The  bowsprits  of  large  vessels  eighty-five 
years  ago  extended  over  Water  street,  and  the  Li 
berty,  a  ship  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  tons,  was 
built  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Market  and  Front 
streets.1  Clements'  Creek,  the  little  stream  that 
crosses  the  Newport  Pike  about  a  hundred  yards 
from  Front  street,  (or  as  laid  down  in  the  map  of  the 
city,  at  the  junction  of  Justison  and  Sycamore  streets,) 
that  now  would  not  float  a  batteau,  was  formerly  as 
cended  by  vessels  to  a  wharf  near  the  turnpike  to 
take  in  wood  for  the  Philadelphia  market.  Vessels 
ascended  the  run  that  flowed  down  Poplar  street, 
since  culverted  over,  and  the  great  freight  house  of  the 
Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad 
Company,  at  the  foot  of  Poplar  street,  is  built  on  the 
site  of  Mulberry  Dock,  where  vessels  loaded  and  un 
loaded  their  cargoes  not  more  than  forty-five  years 
ago.  Shellpot,  (or  Skillpot,  as  it  was  formerly  called,) 

1  Ferris'  Original  Settlements  on  the  Delaware.  This  was  a  useful 
and  valuable  work,  written  by  Benjamin  Ferris,  an  old  and  esteemed 
citizen  of  Wilmington,  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  It  was 
published  by  Wilson  &  Heald,  booksellers  of  Wilmington,  in  1846. 
It  gave  a  minute  historical  account  of  the  first  settlements  on  the  De 
laware,  and  graphically  described  the  manners  and  customs  of  its 
earlier  inhabitants.  It  also  contained  an  excellent  history  of  Wilming 
ton.  Benjamin  Ferris  died  on  the  9th  of  November,  1867,  at  the  good 
old  age  of  89  years  and  2  months,  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him.  This  was  the  first  work  ever  published  devoted  mainly 
to  the  historical  affairs  of  this  State.  In  1838  Mr.  Huffington  pub 
lished  the  Delaware  Register  at  Dover,  but  it  was  as  much  of  an  agri 
cultural  and  literary  as  an  historical  work. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  55 

which  flows  into  the  Brandy  wine  about  three-quarters 
of  a  mile  from  the  built  up  portions  of  Wilmington, 
that  now  would  hardly  float  a  longboat,  was  stated 
by  William  Penn  to  be  large  enough  to  contain  the 
whole  navy  of  England. 

A  similar  diminution  of  the  navigable  rivers  and 
streams  has  taken  place  over  the  whole  State.  Every 
creek  between  the  Christiana  and  Cape  Henlopen  has 
had  its  navigation  injured,  and  has  become  much 
shoaler  within  the  memory  of  men  still  living.  A  bar 
has  been  formed  at  the  mouth  of  Blackbird  Creek,  in 
New  Castle  county.  A  bar  has  also  been  formed  at 
the  mouth  of  Mispillion  Creek,  in  Kent  county, 
which  extends  near  two  miles  out  in  the  bay,  which 
injures  greatly  its  navigation,  and  both  creeks  are 
much  diminished  in  depth.  Stone  Wrharf  Creek,  up 
which  the  British  brought  the  stone  from  England  (in 
vessels  which  sailed  from  there)  to  build  what  is 
known  as  the  Big  Light  House  on  the  Atlantic  Coast, 
about  a  mile  from  Cape  Henlopen,  and  the  brick  to 
erect  the  dwelling  for  the  keeper,  is  now,  by  the  ac 
tion  of  nature,  filled  up,  and  wagons  and  carts  drive 
over  what  was  once  its  bed.  The  site  of  Synapux- 
ent  Inlet,  in  Sussex  county,  near  Lewes,  that  used 
to  be  navigable  for  large  vessels,  can  now  be  drove 
over  with  a  horse  and  wagon.  In  this  inlet  a  French 
war  ship,  during  the  Revolution,  took  refuge,  and 
landed  a  quantity  of  money  and  arms  for  the  use  of 
our  soldiers,  as  the  British  then  had  control  of  the 
bay,  which  were  taken  up  the  State  on  wagons,  es 
corted  by  a  body  of  Delaware  troops  under  the  com- 


56  HISTORY   OP   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

mand  of  Colonel  David  Hall.  Now  not  a  vestage  of 
it  is  to  be  seen.  Lewes  Creek  has  also  diminished 
greatly  in  depth.  Thirty  years  ago  large  coasters 
used  to  winter  in  this  creek,  where  is  now  hard  and 
fast  land.  The  place  where  a  large  British  ship  lay, 
that  was  captured  and  brought  up  this  creek  during 
the  Revolution,  is  now  a  mowing  marsh.  Lewes  for 
merly  had  a  great  deal  of  trade  with  New  York. 
Large  quantities  of  grain  was  shipped  from  there,  and 
the  Creek  at  certain  seasons  was  filled  with  vessels 
waiting  to  convey  it  to  that  city.  This  trade  has  been 
lost  from  the  creek  becoming  too  shallow.  Most  of 
the  people  resident  in  the  neighborhood  were  formerly 
engaged  in  navigation,  but  the  rivers,  creeks  and  in 
lets  diminishing  in  depth  so  that  they  would  not 
float  vessels  of  sufficient  size  to  navigate  the  ocean, 
has  changed  the  occupation  of  the  citizens,  and  they 
are  now  cultivators  of  the  ground.  Lewes  Creek 
more  than  one  hundred  years  ago  had  begun  to  di 
minish  in  depth.  We  copy  the  following  account  of 
it  from  Smith's  History  of  New  Jersey,  a  book  pub 
lished  in  1765.  It  was  then  called  the  Hoerenkill.1 
The  account  of  this  shallowing  of  the  creek,  it  will  be 
perceived,  is  derived  from  a  manuscript  in  the  British 
Museum.  It  is  also  given  the  credit  of  being  the  best 
harbor  in  the  Delaware  Bay. 

"  Two  leagues  (says  the  manuscript  in  the  British 
Museum)  from  Cape  Cornelius,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  near  its  mouth,  there  is  a  certain  creek 
called  the  Hoerenkill,  which  may  well  pass  for  a 

1  This  creek  was  afterwards  called  by  the  English  Whorekill. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  57 

middling  or  small  river,  for  it  is  navigable  a  great 
way  upward,  and  its  road  is  a  fine  road  for  ships  of 
all  burthens,  there  being  none  like  it  for  safety  and 
convenience  in  all  the  bay,  the  right  channel  for  sail 
ing  up  the  bay  passing  it. 

"  A  certain  person  who,  for  several  years  together 
had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Fort,  informed  us  about  the 
month  of  June,  1662,  being  then  but  lately  come  from 
thence,  concerning  the  Hoerenkill,  or  Harlot's  Creek, 
that  along  the  seashore  it  was  not  above  two  leagues 
from  the  cape,  and  that  near  the  fort,  which  is  at  the 
mouth  of  it,  it  is  about  two  hundred  paces  broad,  and 
navigable  and  very  deep  to  about  half  a  league  up 
wards,  the  pilots  say  generally  about  six  feet  of  water 
in  going  in,  but  the  canoes  can  go  about  two  leagues 
higher.  There  were  two  small  islands  in  it,  the  first 
very  small,  the  last  about  half  a  league  in  circumfer 
ence,  both  overgrown  with  fine  grass,  especially  the 
latter,  and  are  about  half  a  league  distance  asunder, 
and  the  latter  about  a  league  from  the  channel's  mouth. 
The  two  islands  are  surrounded  with  muddy  ground, 
in  which  there  grows  the  best  sort  of  oysters,  which 
said  ground  begins  near  the  first  island,  for  the  mouth 
of  the  channel  has  a  sandy  bottom,  being  also  very 
deep,  and  therefore  there  are  no  oysters  there.  Near 
the  smaller  island,  and  higher  up,  it  is  as  broad  again 
as  at  the  mouth.  Near  the  said  fort  the  channel  for 
a  good  way  runs  at  equal  distances  from  the  sea, 
having  the  breadth  of  about  two  hundred  paces  of 
high  downy  land  lying  between  them.  Near  the  fort 
there  is  a  glorious  spring  of  fresh  water.  A  small  rill, 


58  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

rising  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  country,  and  falling 
from  a  rising  hill,  runs  through  this  downy  land  into 
the  mouth  of  the  Hoerenkill,  or  Harlot's  Creek,  is 
for  its  goodness  and  fertility  named  for  the  very  best 
of  New  Netherland."1 

Smith,  speaking  of  the  above  manuscript,  says  : 

"  Soon  after  English  possession  it  get  the  name  of 
Lewistown,  by  which  it  is  mostly  called.  It  is  situate 
at  the  mouth  of  Delaware  Bay,  and  is  a  general  re 
sort  for  pilots  waiting  to  convey  vessels  up  the  river. 
Where  the  creek  is  described  as  deep  and  sandy  is 
now  a  mowing  marsh.  The  channel,  also,  by  the 
Whorekill,  then  used  for  vessels  to  pass,  is  diminished 
to  about  a  hundred  yards  breadth  at  the  mouth.  The 
two  islands,  one  very  small,  and  the  other  half  a 
league  in  circumference,  are  now,  the  first,  supposed 
to  be  ten,  and  the  last  thirty,  times  as  large  as  there 
described,  and  this  alteration  in  about  a  hundred 
years." 

Such  is  the  description  of  Lewes  Creek,  variously 
over  one  hundred,  and  two  hundred,  years  ago.  The 
islands  still  exist.  They  are  now  several  hundred 
acres  in  extent.  One  is  now  called  Green  Island. 

But  though  the  land  has  gained  on  the  navigable 
streams  by  the  narrowing  and  shallowing  of  their 
channels,  and  the  filling  of  them  up  altogether,  so 
that  vegetation  now  grows  where  once  large  vessels 
floated,  the  river,  bay  and  ocean,  that  bounds  the 

1  This  was  the  name  of  Delaware  at  that  time.  The  Dutch  were 
then  the  inhabitants,  and  our  State  was  part  of  New  York,  which  was 
known  by  the  same  cognomen. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  59 

State,  has  washed  away  a  large  portion  of  its  coast, 
and  the  State  is  now  many  square  miles  smaller  than 
when  the  white  man  first  landed  on  its  shores.  It  is 
probable  that  it  is  in  some  places  half  a  mile,  and  in 
others  two  miles,  narrower  from  these  encroachments 
than  when  first  settled.  From  ten  to  fifty  feet  of  the 
State  is  washed  away  every  year — the  fast  land  be 
coming  marsh,  the  marsh  sand,  and  the  sand  becoming 
covered  with  water.  This  is  owing  to  the  North 
easterly  storms.  In  the  neighborhood  of  New  Castle 
old  residents  can  point  to  the  foundations  of  houses, 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out  in  the  Delaware,  and 
in  the  limits  of  the  same  town,  after  every  storm, 
from  the  enroachments  of  the  river,  the  bones  and 
skulls  of  those  buried  in  a  graveyard  bordering  on  it  are 
exposed  to  view  scattered  along  the  beach,  and  swal 
lowed  up  by  its  waters.  The  lighthouse  at  the 
mouth  of  Mahon's  River,  in  Kent  county  has  within 
forty  years  had  to  be  rebuilt  three  times  from  the  en 
croachments  of  the  Delaware.  The  foundation  of  that 
first  erected  is  now  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out  in 
the  bay.  More  than  half  a  mile  of  the  point  of  land 
that  now  forms  the  harbor  of  Port  Mahon  is  washed 
away  within  the  memory  of  the  older  residents.  It 
is  also  within  the  memory  of  people  now  living  when 
Duck  Creek,  and  Old  Duck  Creek,  had  but  one  mouth, 
both  flowing  into  Dona  River,  which  had  but  one 
channel  at  the  south  end  of  Little  Bombay  Hook 
Island.  Bombay  Hook  was  then  a  part  of  New  Cas 
tle  county,  connected  with  it  by  fast  land,  instead  of 
an  island,  as  now.  Duck  Creek  now  flows  in  a  chan- 


60  HISTORY  OF   THE   STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

nel  at  the  north  of  Great  Bombay  Hook  and  the  main 
channel  of  Old  Duck  Creek,  and  Little  Creek  is  to 
the  north  instead  of  the  south  of  Little  Bombay  Hook 
Island.  The  old  channel  at  the  south  of  Little  Bom 
bay  Hook  is  fast  filling  up.  Both  these  new  chan 
nels,  viz. :  the  channel  to  the  north  of  Great  Bombay 
Hook,  and  the  channel  to  the  north  of  Little  Bombay 
Hook  Island,  were  made  by  men  for  the  convenience 
of  getting  their  boats  into  the  bay.  These  channels 
were  then  washed  out  and  deepened  by  the  force  of 
the  current,  so  that  the  commerce  of  the  towns  of 
Smyrna  is  carried  through  the  former,  and  of  Leipsic 
through  the  latter.  The  channel  to  the  north  of 
Great  Bombay  Hook  is  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Thoroughfare,  and  is  now  part  of  the  boundary  be 
tween  New  Castle  and  Kent  counties.  The  old 
channel  is  now  so  filled  up  that  it  cannot  be  used  by 
the  vessels  employed  in  the  commerce  of  those  towns, 
and  is  now  only  navigated  by  boats. 

On  the  coast  of  Sussex  county,  especially  where  it 
it  bounded  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  still  greater  en 
croachments  have  been  made  upon  our  State,  but  in 
some  instances,  as  will  be  related  hereafter,  the  State 
has  encroached  upon  the  bay. 

High  hills  of  sand,  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  high, 
used  to  front  the  bay  and  ocean,  from  Grove  Bank, 
near  Lewes,  in  front  of  Lewes,  and  extending  along 
the  Atlantic  Coast  to  the  boundary  of  the  State  into 
Maryland.  They  extended  probably  half  a  mile  in 
land,  and  were  covered  with  grass  and  pines.  The 
great  storm  that  about  forty  years  ago  devastated  our 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  61 

coast,  swept  down  all  these  hills  on  the  ocean  side, 
made  them  level,  and  washed  away  a  great  portion  of 
the  ground.  From  this  storm  the  Atlantic  encroached 
on  our  State  about  half  a  mile,  and  made  what  was 
before  fast  land  part  of  the  ocean.  During  this  storm 
several  hundred  acres  of  the  farms  of  Wm.  Newbold 
and  John  Rhodes  were  washed  away,  and  many  people, 
and  a  great  number  of  cattle  wrere  drowned.  The  same 
storm  so  encroached  on  the  shores  of  Rehoboth  and 
Indian  River  Bay  as  to  change  the  nature  of  their 
waters,  and  to  make  them  so  salt  as  to  destroy  the 
oysters  that  before  abounded  there. 

The  shoals  called  the  Hen  and  Chickens,  situated 
in  the  ocean,  near  Cape  Henlopen,  now  miles  out  in 
the  sea,  it  is  supposed,  was  once  connected  by  the 
fast  land  with  our  State.  The  oldest  citizens  of  the 
nighborhood  recollect  it  as  an  island  covered  with 
trees.  The  waters  of  the  Atlantic  now  roll  over  it. 
At  extreme  low  tides  the  stumps  of  trees  may  be  seen 
miles  out  in  the  ocean,  showing  how  it  has  encroached 
on  Delaware,  and  washed  away  its  shores.  At  the 
lowest  calculation  two  miles  of  the  State,  where  it 
fronts  the  Atlantic,  and  one  mile  from  New  Castle  to 
the  Cape  Henlopen,  which  was  once  fast  land,  is  now 
covered  by  water.  The  contrary  of  this  is,  however, 
the  case  in  that  portion  of  the  State  opposite  the 
Breakwater.  This  bank  of  stone,  protecting  it  from 
the  storm,  the  beach  has  encroached  on  the  bay,  and 
is  now  about  half  a  mile  nearer  the  breakwater  than 
it  was  before  that  great  work  was  erected.  So  much 
so,  that  the  pilots  avoid  taking  vessels  out  of  the 


62  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

channel  between  the  breakwater  and  Cape  Henlopen, 
and  it  is  thought  that  in  time  the  beach  will  so  pro 
ject  as  to  connect  itself  with  the  breakwater.  Cape 
Henlopen  is  also  extending  itself  into  the  ocean.  It 
now  reaches  out  more  than  a  mile  further  than  it  did 
a  hundred  years  ago.  The  Big  Light,  built  by  the 
British,  to  mark  the  entrance  to  the  Delaware  before 
the  Revolution,  is  laid  down  in  the  old  charts  as  being 
one  cable  length,  or  12  fathoms,  (730  feet,)  from 
this  point  of  the  cape.  Several  vessels  sailing  by  this 
chart,  and  endeavoring  to  enter  the  bay  by  that  dis 
tance  from  the  light,  were  wrecked  on  the  cape.  A 
new  light  has  now  been  erected  on  the  extreme  end 
of  the  cape.  The  distance  between  the  new  and  old 
lighthouses  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  so  that  by  this 
extension  of  the  cape  over  a  mile  of  land  has  been 
won  from  the  ocean.  This  is  a  small  gain,  however, 
in  comparison  with  what  it  has  robbed  us  of.  But 
even  should  its  stormy  waves  in  the  lapse  of  event 
ful  time  totally  destroy  our  State ;  wash  away  both 
hill  and  plain,  and  leave  not  a  vestige  of  its  terri 
tory,  save  what  was  covered  by  its  waters,  Delaware 
would  still  live  in  history  and  the  minds  of  men; 
from  the  glorious  deeds  of  her  sons  in  the  Revolution, 
and  from  her  being  the  first  to  adopt  the  constitution 
of  what  will  be  the  greatest  and  mightiest  nation 
the  world  has  ever  seen,  which  now  known  as  the 
United  States  of  America,  may  hereafter  be  the 
United  States  of  the  world.  The  mortal  body  of  our 
State  may  be  destroyed,  but  its  soul  will  live,  "  till 
time  is  old,  and  hath  forgot  itself." 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  63 

Baltimore  hundred,  in  Sussex  county,  now  so 
populous  and  well  cultivated,  was  originally  a  track 
of  worthless  land,  a  mere  outlying  part  of  the  Cypress 
Swamp.  It  has  been  drained  and  made  valuable. 
Other  great  swamps  and  bogs,  such  as  the  Tappahana 
and  Heronton  Bogs,  have  been  also  drained,  thus  ma 
terially  altering  the  surface  of  the  State. 

Every  stream,  when  the  Swedes  and  Dutch  first 
landed  here,  abounded  in  shad.  They  ascended  the 
Brandywine  to  its  head,  and  were  caught  in  quanti 
ties  above  the  City  of  Wilmington.  An  act  of  the 
Legislature  was  at  one  time  passed  forbidding  the 
erection  of  dams  across  the  Brandywine,  (after  the 
State  had  been  conveyed  to  Penn,)  because  such  dams 
would  prevent  the  shad  ascending  the  stream,  and 
thus  cause  dissatisfaction  among  the  Indians,  who, 
in  its  season,  lived  principally  upon  this  fish. 

The  woods  everywhere  abounded  with  deer,  bear, 
wolves,  opossums,  hares,  squirrels,  wild  turkies,  phea 
sants,  wild  pigeons,  and  many  other  kinds  of  animals 
and  birds.  There  was  also  the  wild-cat  and  the  rat 
tlesnake.  Wolves  were  so  numerous  as  to  prove  a 
great  annoyance,  and  to  cause  repeated  public  efforts 
to  be  made  for  their  destruction.  Near  the  margins, 
and  on  the  surface,  of  the  rivers  and  creeks,  were 
found  beavers,  otters,  muskrats,  terrapin,  and  other 
aquatic  animals,  whilst  swans,  geese,  ducks,  brant,1 
cranes,  and  other  water  fowl  were  in  great  variety 
and  abundance.  The  shores  of  the  bay  were  covered 

1  The  brant  was  a  water  fowl  about  the  size  of  a  duck.  There  are 
none  now.  It  totally  disappeared  about  thirty  years  ago. 


64  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

with  king  crabs.  So  great  was  the  quantity  of  swans 
in  the  bay  that  the  first  Dutch  settlers  named  that 
portion  of  Sussex  county,  near  Lewes  Creek,  Swanen- 
dale.  The  cultivation  of  the  ground,  and  the  clearing 
away  of  the  woods,  and  draining  the  marshes,  having 
destroyed  the  harbor  for  these  animals,  they  are 
either  entirely  extinct,  or  exist  in  far  lessser  numbers. 
The  last  wolf  has  long  since  gone.  Bear  and  deer, 
it  is  still  alleged,  exist  in  the  Cypress  Swamp,  al 
though  they  are  rarely  seen,  whilst  there  is  not  a 
tithe  of  the  wild  fowl,  fish,  or  animals  there  formerly 
were.  They  have  receded  with  the  Indian  before  the 
advancing  civilization,  and  given  place  to  the  domes 
tic  animals,  who  are  more  under  the  dominion  of  man. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Aboriginal  Inhabitants — Leni  Lenape  or  Delawares — They  Drive 
off  the  original  Indians — The  Minquas — The  Nanticokes — The  last 
Indian  leaves  Delaware — Bones  found  at  Laurel — Their  Govern 
ment  Hereditary— Their  Councils — Punishments — Retaliation  for 
Murder  by  other  Tribes — Their  Weapons — Mode  of  War — Cruel 
Treatment  of  their  Prisoners,  they  burn  them  alive  and  scalp 
them — Cannibalism — Their  Hunting — Their  Money — Their  Man 
ufactures — Their  Boats — Their  Dwellings — Their  Hospitality — 
Their  Food — Their  Marriage — They  Practice  Polygamy — Their 
Children — Their  Religion — Supposed  Tradition  of  Christ — Their 
Medicine — Their  Heaven — Mode  of  Burial — Customs  thereat — 
Character  of  the  Indians — Reason  why  they  were  conquered  by 
the  Whites — They  hold  a  Council  to  see  whether  they  Massacre 
the  Swedes,  decide  against  it — The  only  recorded  Council  of  the 
Aborigines  of  this  State. 

THE  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  Delaware,  at  the  time 
the  European  settlers  came  amongst  them,  were 
known  by  the  name  of  Leni  Lenape,  meaning  in  our 
language,  original  people.  They  were  called  by  the 
English,  Delawares,  after  Lord  Delaware,  from  whom 
the  state  and  the  bay  also  derives  its  name.  The 
tradition  is  that  they  and  the  five  nations,  both  emi 
grated  from  beyond  the  Mississippi,  and  by  uniting 
their  forces,  drove  off  and  destroyed  the  primitive  resi 
dents  of  the  country.  Their  settlements  extended 
from  the  Hudson  to  the  Potomac,  and  their  descend 
ants  finally  became  so  numerous  that  near  forty  tribes 
honored  them  with  the  title  of  grandfather.1  These 

1  Thatcher's  Indian  Biography. 


66  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

three  tribes  were  in  process  of  time  subdivided  into 
many  others,  as  location  and  convenience  required. 
There  were  twelve  Indian  tribes  resident  within  the 
limits  of  this  State  around  New  Castle.  The  two 
most  prominent  thit  ruled  in  Delaware  were  the 
Minquas  and  the  Nanti  cokes.  There  were  probably 
many  others,  but  history  does  not  record  their  names. 
The  Minquas  inhabited  the  banks  of  the  Christiana 
and  Brandywine.  The  Nanticokes  the  lower  end  of 
the  State,  and  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland.  The 
last  of  the  Nanticokes  took  their  departure  from  the 
Delaware  in  1748.  (The  last  Minqua  had  left  long 
before.)  They  were  then  residents  of  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Laurel.  They  dug  up  the  bones  of  their 
principal  chiefs  and  carried  them  with  them.  The 
bones  of  the  rest  of  their  dead  they  re-interred  in  the 
same  vicinity,  where  they  were  found  by  digging 
about  fifty  years  ago.1  Each  tribe  of  Indians  had  a 

1  Huffington's  Delaware  Register.  This  Register  was  a  monthly 
magazine,  published  by  William  Huffington,  at  Dover,  in  1838,  and 
printed  by  Samuel  Kimmey.  It  was  one  of  the  best  publications  of 
the  day,  and  one  of  its  objects,  as  stated  by  the  editor  in  his  address  in 
the  first  number,  was,  "in  a  series  of  numbers,  to  collect  and  combine  in 
a  sensible  form  all  that  can  be  rescued  from  the  dust  of  oblivion,  from 
which,  at  a  future  day,  a  history  of  our  State  may  be  written."  It 
is  to  be  regretted  that  it  did  not  succeed  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view, 
for  it  contained  matter  of  much  value,  both  as  regards  the  history  and 
agriculture  of  the  State.  Its  publication  ceased  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
and  but  few  copies  of  it  exist.  It  is,  however,  found  bound  in  two 
volumes  in  the  libraries  of  some  of  our  citizens.  The  publication  of 
this  magazine  was  the  first  attempt  to  preserve  and  make  known  our 
history.  Mr.  Huffington  was  a  lawyer,  a  man  of  refined  mind  and  a 
good  writer.  He,  at  different  times,  held  several  important  offices. 
He  had  been  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  a  member  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  G7 

ruler,  whom  they  called  a  sachem.      The  office  was 
hereditary,  but  on  the  mother's  side,  in  order  that  no 
illegitimate  children  could  be  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
nation.     "  When  a  king  died,  it  was  not  his  children 
who   succeeded   him,  but  his   brother   by   the   same 
mother,  or  his  sisters,  or  her  daughter's  male  children, 
for  no   female    could    succeed   to    the   government." 
Each  king  had  his  council,  and  nothing  of  importance 
was  undertaken,  such  as  war,  peace,  and  the  sale  of 
land,  without  being  first  discussed  in  council,  to  which 
not  only  were  the   counsellors  called,   but  also  the 
common  people.     When  they  made    any    treaty   of 
peace  or  friendship,  they  gave  to  those  with   whom 
they  made  it  a  pipe  to  smoke,  which  finally  sealed  the 
agreement,  as  they  believed  if  any  one  should  break  it, 
they  would  be  afterwards  visited  by  some  great  misfor 
tune.     Their  punishments  generally  consisted  of  fines. 
If  a  man  committed  murder,  "  he  may  be  forgiven  on 
giving  a  feast  or  something  else  of  the  same  kind ; 
but  if  a  woman  be  killed,  the  penalty  is   doubled, 
because  a  woman  can  bring  forth  children,  and  a  man 
cannot."     Murder  was  very  uncommon  among  them 
until  "  the  white  man  came,  when,  under  the  influ 
ence  of  intoxication  from  the  liquor  they  sold  them, 
several  were  committed  by  the  Indians.     When  they 

Legislative,  and  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Wilmington  in  1848  and  1856. 
He  died  at  Wilmington  in  1800.  Samuel  Kimmey,  the  printer,  was  a 
man  who  took  great  pride  in  his  art,  and  the  typography  of  the  Regis 
ter  was,  pe/haps,  equal  to  any  publication  in  the  country  in  its  day. 
lie  was  also  the  printer  of  the  "Revised  Code"  in  1852.  There  are 
few  specimens  of  the  typographical  art  of  the  time  superior  to  this. 
He  died  at  Djver,  October,  1854,  in  the  fifty-second  year  of  his  age. 


68  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

committed  murder  under  those  circumstances,  they 
excused  themselves  by  saying  it  was  the  liquor  that 
did  it."  "When  any  one  of  them  was  condemned  to 
death,  which  seldom  happened,  the  king  himself 
would  go  out  after  him,"  and  as  they  had  no  prison 
to  confine  the  criminal,  he  generally  "  fled  to  the 
woods-."  When  they  find  him,  "  the  king  first  shoots  at 
him,  and  afterwards  those  who  accompanied  him  in 
like  manner  shoot  at  him  until  he  was  dead."  If  an 
Indian  kill  another  Indian  of  a  different  tribe,  those 
of  the  tribe  to  which  the  murdered  man  belonged 
would  send  one  of  their  men  to  kill  one  of  the  other 
tribe,  and  thus  "wars  were  kindled  between  them. 
Otherwise  there  was  no  law  amongst  them,  though 
they  generally  exercised  the  law  of  retaliation."1 

Their  weapons  were  stone  hatchets  and  bows  and 
arrows,  in  quivers  made  of  rushes.  Their  bows  were 
made  of  the  limb  of  a  tree  of  above  a  man's  length, 
and  their  bow  strings  of  the  sinews  of  animals.  Their 
arrows  were  made  of  reeds  a  yard  and  a  half  long. 
At  one  end  was  fixed  a  piece  of  hard  wood  about  a 
quarter  length,  at  the  end  of  which  they  made  a  hole 
to  fix  in  the  head  of  the  arrow,  which  was  made  of 
black  flint  stone,  or  of  hard  bone  or  horn,  or  the  teeth 
of  large  fishes  or  animals,  which  they  fastened  in  with 
fish  glue  in  such  a  manner  that  the  water  could  not 
penetrate.  At  the  other  end  of  the  arrows  they  put- 
feathers.  The  flint  and  stone  arrow  heads  and  stone 
hatchets  are  still  often  plowed  up  in  our  fields,  and 

1  Campanius'  description  of  Indians. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  69 

are  all  that  remain  to  remind  us  that  another  race 
than  our  own  (now  extinct)  were  once  lords  of  our 
soil,  save  a  few  of  our  streams,  that  yet  retain  their 
Indian  names,  such  as  Naaman's,  Appoquinirnink,  and 
Nanticoke  Creeks. 

When   they   went  to   war,  each  provided  himself 
with  a  bow  and  sufficient  quantity  of  airows,  and 
placed  on  his  head  a  red  turkey's  feather,  as  a  sign 
they  were  going  to  shed  blood.     After  they  had  car 
ried  their  wives  and   children  to  an  island,  or  other 
place  of  safety,  they  proceeded  on  their  way  in  a  cer 
tain  order,  and  when  they  met  their  enemies  attacked 
them  with  great  outcries.     They  thought  they  had 
made  a  great  battle  when  ten  or  twelve  men  remained 
dead  on  the  field.     Those  who  had  gained  the  victory 
took  off  the  scalps  of  the  enemies  they  had  killed, 
and  carried  them  away  as  a  warlike  trophy.     They 
were  very  cruel  in  the  treatment  of  their  prisoners. 
They  would  cut  and  slash  them  alive  ;  cut  off  their 
ears,  their  noses,  their  tongues  and  their  lips,  also 
their  fingers  and  toes.     They  also  cut  off  flesh  from 
different  parts  of  the  body,  and  then  strewed  ashes 
over  the  wounds  to  prevent  the  blood  from  flowing,  and 
that  their  victims  might  not  die  too  soon.     Such  an 
example  occurred  in  the  year  1646,  when  Campanius, 
the  chaplain  to  Printz,  one  of  the  Swedish  governors 
of  this  State,  was  in  the  country.     The  Indians  resi 
dent  of  the   Christiana  and  Delaware  had  taken  one 
of  the  Mingoes,  and  bound  him  to  a  tree.       They 
made  a  large  fire  round  him,  and  when  he  was  half 
roasted  let  him  loose.     Giving  him  a  fire-brand  in 


70  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

each  hand,  and  taking  one  in  each  hand  themselves, 
they  challenged  him  to  fight,  and  when  at  last  he 
could  no  longer  stand,  but  fell  down,  one  of  them 
sprang  upon  him,  and  with  his  nails  cut  the  skin  of 
his  forehead  open,  and  tore  off  his  scalp.  The  Min- 
goes  and  Minquas  were  often  at  war.  They  were 
also  in  the  habit  of  eating  the  flesh  of  their  enemies 
after  boiling  it.  Campanius  also  relates  that  some 
Indians  once  invited  a  Swede  to  go  with  them  to  their 
habitation  in  the  woods.  When  he  arrived  there  they 
treated  him  to  the  best  the  house  afforded,  and 
pressed  him  to  eat,  which  he  did.  There  was  broiled 
and  boiled,  and  even  hashed  meat,  of  all  which  the 
Swede  ate  with  them.  But  it  did  not  agree  with  his 
stomach,  for  he  threw  it  up  immediately  afterwards. 
The  Indians  did  not  let  him  know  what  he  had  been 
eating,  but  it  was  told  him  afterwards  by  some  other 
Indians  that  he  had  been  fed  on  the  flesh  of  an  Indian 
of  a  neighboring  tribe  with  whom  they  were  at  war, 
and  that  that  was  the  broiled,  boiled  and  hashed  meat 
with  which  he  had  been  treated.1 

They  had  a  system  of  fortification,  which  was  by 
surrounding  their  villages  with  palisades.  The  Min- 
ques  or  Mincks  (probably  the  Minquas)  had  a  fort  on 
a  very  high  mountain,  very  difficult  to  climb,  about 
twelve  miles  from  New  Sweden,2  which  was  the 
name  this  State  was  first  known  by.  This  mountain 
was,  probably,  Iron  or  Chestnut  Hills,  ne;ir  Newark. 
The  usual  employment  of  the  Indians,  were  fishing 

1  Campanius,  122.  2  Ibid.  127. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  71 

and  hunting,  and  shooting  with  the  bow  and  arrow. 
Lindstrom,  the  engineer,  who  came  over  with  Gov 
ernor  Printz,  and  who  improved  the  fortifications  at 
Christina  (now  Wilmington),  and  at  Fort  Cassimir 
(now  New  Castle) ,  in  a  manuscript  treatise  written 
by  him,  says: 

"  As  soon  as  the  winter  is  over  they  commence  their 
hunting  expeditions,  which  they  do  in  the  most  in 
genious  manner.  They  choose  the  time  when  the  grass 
is  high,  and  dry  as  hay.  The  Sachem  collects  the 
people  together,  and  places  them  in  a  circumference 
of  one  or  two  miles,  according  to  their  numbers ;  they 
then  root  out  all  the  grass  around  that  circumference, 
to  the  breadth  of  about  four  yards,  so  that  the  fire 
cannot  run  back  upon  them ;  when  that  is  done,  they 
set  the  grass  on  fire,  which  of  course  extends  all  round, 
until  it  reaches  the  centre  of  the  circumference.  They 
then  set  up  great  outcries,  and  the  animals  fly  toward 
the  centre,  and  when  they  are  collected  within  a  small 
circle,  the  Indians  shoot  at  them  with  guns  and  bows, 
and  kill  as  many  as  they  please,  by  which  means  they 
get  plenty  of  venison.  When  the  grass  has  ceased  to 
grow,  they  go  out  into  the  woods  and  shoot  the  ani 
mals  which  they  find  there,  in  which  they  have  not 
much  trouble,  for  their  sense  of  smelling  is  so  acute 
that  they  can  smell  them  like  hounds.  Their  Sachem 
causes  a  turkey  to  be  hung  up  in  the  air,  of  which  the 
bowels  being  taken  out  and  the  belly  filled  with  money, 
he  who  shoots  the  bird  down  gets  the  money  that  is 
within  it."1 

1  Campanius,  128. 


72  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

The  money  of  the  Indians  was  called  wampum.  It 
consisted  of  beads  neatly  cut  out  of  white  or  brown 
cockle,  muscle  or  oyster  shells,  through  which  they 
bore  a  hole  and  string  them  together  on  a  thread  like 
pearls.  Each  fathom  of  wampum  was  worth  five 
Dutch  guilders,  reckoning  four  beads  for  every  stiver. 
The  brown  beads  were  more  valued  than  the  others, 
and  brought  a  higher  price.  A  white  bead  was  of  the 
value  of  a  piece  of  copper  money,  a  brown  one  was 
worth  a  piece  of  silver. 

Speaking  of  the  money  of  the  Indians,  the  engineer 
Lindstrom,  says  :  "  Their  money  is  made  of  shells, 
white,  black,  and  red ;  worked  into  beads,  and  neatly 
turned  and  smoothed.  One  person,  however,  cannot 
make  more  in  a  day  than  six  or  eight  stivers.  When 
these  beads  are  worn  out  so  that  they  cannot  be  strung 
neatly  and  evenly  on  the  thread,  they  no  longer  con 
sider  them  as  good.  Their  way  of  trying  them  is  to 
rub  the  whole  thread  full  on  their  noses.  If  they  find 
it  slides  smooth  and  even,  like  glass  beads,  then  they 
are  considered  good ;  otherwise,  they  break  and  throw 
them  away.  Their  manner  of  measuring  their  strings, 
is  by  the  length  of  their  thumbs,  from  the  end  of  the 
nail  to  the  first  joint  makes  six  beads,  of  which  the 
white  ones  are  worth  a  stiver,  or  piece  of  copper  money , 
but  the  black,  or  blue  ones,  are  worth  two  stivers  or 
a  piece  of  silver."1 

When  the  Europeans  first  came,  the  Indians  had  no 
instruments  or  tools  made  of  iron,  but  still  there  was 

1  Campanius,  132. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  73 

mechanical  talent  among  them.  They  could  tan  and 
prepare  the  skins  of  animals,  which  they  afterward 
painted.  They  adorned  skins  and  bed  covers  with 
various  colored  feathers,  binding  them  with  a  kind  of 
net-work,  which,  says  Campanius,  "  was  very  hand 
some,  and  fastened  the  featners  very  well."  They 
also  made  light,  and  warm  clothing  and  covering  for 
themselves  of  the  same  material.  With  the  leaves  of 
Indian  corn  and  reeds,  they  made  purses,  mats,  bas 
kets,  and  everything  else  they  wanted.  They  also 
"  made  very  handsome  and  strong  mats  of  fine  roots, 
which  they  painted  with  all  kinds  of  figures.  They 
hung  their  walls  with  these  mats,  and  made  excellent 
bed-clothes  of  them." 

The  women  spun  thread  and  yarn  out  of  nettles, 
hemp,  and  some  plants  unknown  to  the  white  men. 
Campanius  said,  •'  Governor  Printz  had  a  complete 
suit  of  clothes,  with  coat,  breeches,  and  belt,  made  by 
these  barbarians,  with  their  wampum,  which  curiously 
wrought  with  the  figures  of  all  kinds  of  animals,  and 
cost  some  thousand  pieces  of  gold."  Their  tobacco 
pipes  were  made  out  of  reeds,  a  man's  length.  The 
bowl  was  made  of  horn,  but  sometimes  of  clay. 

Their  boats  were  made  of  the  bark  of  cedar  and 
birch  trees,  bound  together  and  lashed  very  strongly. 
They  also  made  boats  out  of  cedar  trees,  which  they 
burnt  inside,  and  scraped  off  the  coals  with  sharp 
stones,  bones,  or  muscle  shells. 

The  dwellings  of  the  Indians  were  made  of  the 
branches  of  trees,  twisted  together  with  bark,  covered 
with  mats,  made  of  the  leaves  of  the  Indian  corn  matted 


74  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

together.  They  first  put  a  pole  in  the  centre,  and 
then  spread  their  mats  and  branches  around  it,  and 
then  cover  it  above  with  a  roof  made  of  bark,  leaving 
a  hole  in  the  top  for  the  smoke  to  pass  through.  In 
the  pole  they  fixed  hooks  to  hang  their  kettles  on, 
and  a  large  stone  to  protect  themselves  from  fire,  and 
around  it  they  spread  the  mats  and  skins  on  which 
they  slept,  Their  principal  furniture  was  the  kettle 
in  which  they  cooked  their  food.  They  had  no  seats, 
but  sat  on  the  ground.  The  Indians  not  being  ac 
customed  to  it,  could  not  sit  on  chairs.  Accordingly, 
when  they  visited  white  men,  the  tables  were 
always  uncovered  at  the  lower  end,  so  that  the  In 
dian  at  meals  could  get  on  the  table,  and  sit  and  eat 
what  was  set  before  him  cross-legged.  When  a  white 
man  visited  an  Indian,  he  spread  his  best  mats  on  the 
ground,  and  laid  before  him  Indian  bread,  deer,  elk, 
or  bear's  meat ;  fresh  fish,  and  bear's  fat,  instead  of 
butter.  These  attentions  the  Indians  expected  to  be 
received  with  thankfulness,  otherwise,  their  friend 
ship  would  be  turned  to  hatred. 

The  food  of  the  Indians,  was  the  kind  of  wild  ani 
mals  which  abounded  then  in  the  State,  which  they 
shot  with  their  bows  and  arrows.  Also  fish,  which 
they  shot  with  the  same  weapons.  When  the  waters 
were  high,  the  fish  run  up  the  creeks  and  returned  at 
ebb-tide ;  so  that  the  Indians  could  easily  shoot  them 
at  low  water,  and  drag  them  ashore.  They  also  made 
bread  out  of  Indian  corn,  which  they  crushed  between 
two  stones  and  a  large  piece  of  wood.  They  then 
moistened  it  with  water,  and  made  it  into  small  cakes, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  <5 

which  they  wrapped  up  in  corn  leaves,  and  baked  in  the 
ashes.  When  they  were  traveling  or  laying  in  wait 
for  their  enemies,  they  took  with  them  a  kind  of  bread 
made  of  Indian  corn  and  tobacco  juice,  which,  says 
Campanius,  "is  a  very  good  thing  to  ally  hunger 
and  quench  thirst,  in  case  they  have  nothing  else  at 
hand." 

Polygamy  was  practiced  amongst  the  Indians,  and 
marriage  was  early.    As  soon  as  an  Indian  was  seven 
teen  or  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  took  one,  two,  or 
three  wives,  according  to  his  ability  to  maintain  them. 
The  woman  was  expected  to  be  in  constant  attendance 
upon  her  husband.     Should  she  be  guilty  of  infidelity 
or  otherwise  misbehave,  her  husband  would   at  once 
turn  her  out  with  blows,  and  take  another  wife  in  her 
place.     They  considered  it  disgraceful  to  get  married 
until  they  had,  by  some  exploit  in  hunting  or  war, 
given  proof  of  their  manliness.     The  girls  remained 
with  their  mothers,  and  assisted  them  in  the  care  of 
the  household,  such   as  making  mats   and   carrying 
small  bundles.     When  they  wanted  to  get  married, 
which  generally  happened  when  they  were  thirteen  or 
fourteen  years  of  age,  they  were  accustomed  to  cover 
their  breasts,  and  wear  something  upon  their  heads, 
by  which  it  was  understood  that  they  were  ready  for 
a  husband.     When  a  warrior  or  sachem  married,  his 
wife  wore  her  clothes  for  a  year,  completely  covered 
with   strings   of  wampum,   in  various   figures,   with 
with  which  her  hair,  her  ears,   her  arms,   and    her 
waist,  even  down  to  her  knees,  were  decorated.    Her 
hair  was  greased  and  her  face  painted  with  all  sorts 


76  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

of  colors,  which  gave  her  a  shocking  appearance.  At 
the  same  time  the  husband's  person  was  similarly 
adorned.  No  care  was  taken  of  the  women  when 
bearing  children.  She  merely  laid  down  behind  a 
bush  or  tree,  and  immediately  after  the  birth,  both  the 
mother  and  child  would  bathe  in  the  water,  and  the 
day  after  be  as  fresh  and  well  as  before.  They  would 
then  fasten  the  child  with  a  deer  skin  to  a  board,  a 
little  longer  than  itself.  From  this  board  it  was  not 
detached  for  many  months — the  mother  always  carry 
ing  it  and  suckling  it  attached  in  that  manner,  until  it 
was  freed  from  it,  to  learn  it  to  walk,  which  it  generally 
did  at  nine  months  old,  at  which  time  they  gave  it  a  name 
taken  from  anything  that  they  thought  best  suited 
to  it. 

The  Indian  religion  acknowledged  a  supreme  being, 
who  made  both  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  It  also 
acknowledged  an  evil  spirit,  a  manetto,  manitto  or 
devil.  They,  however,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
white  man,  worshipped  the  evil  spirit.  Their  reason 
was  as  follows : 

"The  Great  Sachem  in  heaven,"  they  said,  "is  not 
bad.  He  does  us  neither  good  nor  harm,  therefore  we 
cannot  worship  him."  "  The  evil  spirit,"  they  said, 
"  is  bad,  and  if  we  don't  do  something  to  please  him, 
he  will  hurt  or  kill  us,  therefore  we  must  worship 
him."  They  accordingly  offered  sacrifices  to  the  evil 
spirit,  in  woods.  They  would  erect  an  altar,  and  offer 
upon  it  meat,  fish  and  tobacco,  and  all  sorts  of  fruit. 
This  they  do  whenever  they  prepare  to  go  into  or 
return  from  a  war.  In  performing  their  sacrifices 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  77 

they  uttered  lamentable  cries,  with  strange  contor 
tions  of  their  bodies.  One  portion  of  their  religion 
was  dancing  in  circles,  with  songs  and  joyful  cries. 
Two  of  them  stood  in  the  middle  running  to  and  fro, 
holding  in  their  hands  a  hollow  reed,  or  dried  skin. 
The  Indians  gave  to  Lindstrom  the  following  account 
of  a  portion  of  their  religion,  from  which  he  appeared 
to  think  they  had  some  notion  of  "  Christ  and  his 
apostles."  They  received  it  by  tradition  from  their 
ancestors. 

"Once  upon  a  time,"  (Lindstrom  said)  they  informed 
him,  "  one  of  your  women  came  among  us,  and  she 
became  pregnant  in  consequence  of  drinking  out  of 
a  creek.  An  Indian  had  connection  with  her,  and  he 
also  became  pregnant,  and  brought  forth  a  son,  who, 
when  he  came  to  a  certain  size,  was  so  sensible  and 
clever  that  there  never  was  one  that  could  be  com 
pared  to  him,  so  much  and  so  well  he  spoke,  which 
excited  great  wonder ;  he  also  performed  many  mira 
cles.  When  he  was  quite  grown  up,  he  left  us,  and 
went  up  into  heaven,  and  promised  to  come  again, 
but  he  never  returned.  Afterwards  there  came  a  big 
mouth,  (meaning  an  eloquent  man),  with  a  large 
beard,  like  your  big  mouths  (preachers).  There  was 
also  another  big  mouth  among  us,  in  former  times,  but 
he  also  went  off  (pointing  to  heaven ) ;  he  promised 
to  come  back,  but  never  returned." 

When  the  white  men  first  came  amongst  the  In 
dians  in  this  State,  they  were  not  in  the  habit  of  com 
mitting  excesses  in  eating  or  drinking.  They  lived 
upon  the  animal  and  vegetable  productions  of  the 


78  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

country,  and  drank  nothing  but  pure  water.     There 
fore  they  generally  lived  to  an  advanced  j.ge ;  many 
of  them  to  over,a  hundred  years.    What  sickness  they 
had  was  trifling,  and  having  a  knowledge  of  the  cura 
tive  properties  of  many  herbs,  what  diseases  occurred 
amongst   them   readily  yielded   to    their    treatment. 
Campanius  says :  "  They  have  a  cure  for  the  bite  of 
the  large  poisonous  snakes  with  which  their  country 
abounds,  which  is  truly  wonderful.     It  is  a  kind  of 
root  which   they  call  snake  root ;  they  chew  it  and 
mix  it  with  their  spittle  when  fasting,  and  lay  it  upon 
the  wound.     It  almost  immediately  reduces  the  swell 
ing,  and  soon  effects  a  complete  cure."1 

When  an  Indian  died,  his  relations  and  friends 
brought  precious  and  valuable  articles  to  his  grave,  in 
order  that  he  might  be  provided  with  everything  that 
he  might  want  when  he  arrived  at  the  Indian  heaven, 
which  they  believed  laid  far  to  the  west,  where  peo 
ple  wrent  after  their  death.  A  country,  they  said, 
which  abounded  in  game,  and  fish,  and  with  every 
thing  that  might  be  wished  for. 

They  made  their  graves  round,  and  lined  them 
with  logs,  and  for  their  great  men  with  planks  arid 
boards.  The  corpse  was  placed  in  it  in  a  sitting  pos 
ture,  and  by  it  was  laid  its  shield  and  the  weapons 
that  belonged  to  it  in  life.  They  tied  its  hands  to 
gether,  one  on  each  side  of  its  head,  and  then  laid 
planks  or  boards  underneath  it  to  support  it;  then 
filling  the  grave  with  earth,  they  push  planks  or  logs 
upon  it  to  keep  it  from  the  wild  animals,  and  fixed  in 

1  See  Campauius,  142. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  79 

the  middle  a  long  painted  pole  in  remembrance  of  the 
deceased,  on  the  top  of  which,  if  he  was  a  good  hun 
ter,  they  put  the  figure  in  wood  of  some  wild  animal; 
if  he  was  a  fisherman,  that  of  a  fish.  For  three 
months  afterwards  the  relations  and  friends  would 
daily  visit  the  grave,  and  ask  him,  with  cries  and 
lamentations,  why  he  left  them  so  soon,  and  why  he 
could  not  stay  longer  amongst  them,  and  whether  he 
had  not  good  meat,  good  drink,  and  everything  else  he 
could  wish.  They  then  kept  their  faces  blackened  for 
a  year.  They  were  very  attentive  of  their  graves, 
that  they  might  not  fall  in  or  be  overgrown  with 
grass  or  bushes,  lest  the  memory  of  the  dead  should 
be  forgotten. 

Such  were  the  habit,  custom,  and  character  of  the 
Indians  who  inhabited  this  State,  of  whom  it  is  be 
lieved  not  one  of  their  descendants  now  remain  alive. 
They  were  orators,  counsellors,  and  warriors.  Equal 
in  morals  and  general  intelligence  to  the  wrhites,  and, 
we  believe,  considering  the  circumstances,  in  truth, 
honor,  and  honesty  their  superiors.  But  they  were 
ignor/int  of  letters;  they  violated  God's  law,  of  not 
being  willing  as  a  race  to  "earn  their  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  their  face."  They  were  hunters,  not  agri 
culturalists,  and  as  all  wealth,  all  science,  all  knowl 
edge  depends  upon  labor,  and  those  nations  or  races 
who  employ  in  that  labor  their  brightest  and  most 
acute  intellect  are  the  most  successful  and  the  most 
powerful,  so  notwithstanding  the  many  natural  high 
qualities  of  the  Indian,  because  his  labor  wras  done  by 
his  women,  who  were  from  the  nature  of  things,  weak 


80  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

and  ignorant,  he  was  defeated,  driven  back,  and  ex 
terminated  by  the  white  man,  whose  labor  was  per 
formed  by  the.  strength  of  body  and  intellect  of  the 
males  of  his  race,  instead  of  the  necessary  weakened 
physical  and  mental  organization  of  the  female.  The 
letters  and  books  from  which  the  white  man  derived 
his  instruction,  the  ships  which  brought  him  over,  the 
iron  of  which  his  cannon  and  muskets  and  swords 
and  bayonets  were  made,  and  the  forts  which  protected 
him,  and  the  implements  with  which  he  tilled  the  earth, 
producing  from  a  small  space  a  large  crop,  were  all 
the  results  of  male  labor.  It  was  the  possession  of 
these  things  that  enabled  him  to  conquer  his  red 
brother.  Without  them  he  would  have  been  as  help 
less  as  the  Indian.  Without  labor  he  could  not  have 
had  them.  Therefore,  the  real  cause  of  the  fall  of 
the  Indian,  in  his  conflict  with  the  white  race,  was 
his  contempt  for  labor,  and  placing  it  upon  his  women. 
As  the  white  man  cleared  the  woods  and  plowed  the 
fields,  the  game  having  no  cover,  retreated  from  his 
advancing  footsteps.  The  Indian,  depending  mostly 
on  game,  went  back  with  the  animals,  which  the  white 
man  drove  to  the  receding  wilderness.  So  that  even 
had  there  been  no  war  between  the  races,  the  Indians 
must  have  been  driven  to  the  wilderness  as  the  white 
man  advanced,  which  every  day  was,  and  is  now,  re 
ceding  to  the  westward. 

These  accounts  of  the  Indian  we  have  got  mainly 
from  Campanius,  as  he  is  the  only  writer  that  has 
dwelt  at  any  length  upon  those  of  that  race  who  in 
habited  the  territory  now  comprised  in  the  boundary 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  81 

of  Delaware.  There  was  probably  but  little  difference 
in  character  between  them  and  the  other  Indians  that 
inhabited  this  Continent;  but  as  his  description  apply 
especially  to  the  Indian  inhabitants  of  this  State,  and 
those  residing  in  our  immediate  vicinity  in  Pennsyl 
vania  and  New  Jersey,  we  prefer  his  description  to 
any  other. 

Although  the  following  council  of  Indians  might 
have  been  more  appropriately  introduced  under  the 
events  of  1645,  yet  we  relate  them  here,  as  illustrating 
the  character  of  the  Indians.  As  regards  the  place 
where  the  council  was  held  history  does  not  inform  us. 
Printz  was  governor,  of  what  is  now  our  State,  at  the 
time.  It  was  called  by  the  head  sachem  Matta  Norn,1 
to  know  whether  the  then  inhabitants  of  Delaware, 
principally  Swedes  (though  there  were  some  Dutch) 
should  be  destroyed.  The  sachem  calls  his  son, 
Agga  Horn,  and  a  dialogue  occurs  between  them,  as 
follows  : 

Father  Matta  Horn. — Where  are  the  Swedes  and 
the  Dutch? 

Son  Acjga  Horn. — Some  of  them  are  at  Fort  Chris 
tina,  and  some  at  New  Gottenberg. 

Father. — What  do  the  Swedes  and  the  Dutch  say 
now? 

Son. — They  say,  why  are  the  Indians  so  angry  with 
us  ?  Why  do  they  say  they  will  kill  all  of  us  Swedes, 

1  This  Sachem  owned  the  territory  on  -which  the  city  of  Wilmington 
is  built.     The  grounds  on  which  Fort  Christina  was  built  was  pur. 
chased  from  him,  and  on  that  ground  was  his  wigwam.     He  is  some 
times  called  Matta  Hoon. 
ti 


82  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

and  root  us  out  of  the  country  ?  The  Swedes  are  very 
good.  They  come  in  large  fast  sailing  ships,  with  all  sorts 
of  fine  things  from  Swede's  country,  or  old  Sweden. 

F. — Go  round  to  the  other  chiefs  and  to  the  com 
mon  men,  and  hear  what  they  say. 

$m — They  say,  you  Indians  and  we  (Swedes  and 
Dutch  and  English)  are  in  friendship  with  each  other. 
We  are  good  men.  Come  to  us.  We  have  a  great 
deal  of  cloth,  kettles,  gunpowder,  guns,  and  all  that 
you  may  want  to  buy. 

F. — I  understand.  What  do  you  say  about  this, 
Agga  Horn,  my  son  ? 

S. — I  say  that  I  think  it  best  not  to  fall  upon  them, 
because  the  Swedes  are  skillful  warriors. 

F. — My  son,  you  must  go  about  here  and  there,  to 
our  good  friends,  the  officers  and  common  men,  and 
engage  them  to  come  immediately  here  to  me,  that 
we  may  consult  together  as  to  what  we  shall  do. 

S. — It  is  well,  I  will  go. 

F. — Do  that,  but  don't  be  long  away. 

The  son  comes  again  and  salutes  his  father. 

S. — My  father,  Matta  Horn  (that  is),  Good  bye, 
father,  Matta  Horn. 

F. — Yes,  here  I  am  my  dear  son,  Agga  Horn. 

S. — Father  Matta  Horn,  I  have  done  what  you  or 
dered  me. 

F. — Well,  my  son,  what  answered  the  officers. 

S. — They  answered  that  they  would  come  here  to 
us,  the  day  after  to-morrow. 

F. — You,  my  son  Agga  Horn,  may  go  with  the  men 
to  shoot  some  deer  in  the  woods.  Perhaps  the  good 
gentlemen  may  be  hungry  when  they  come. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

&. — I  understand  that  well,  I  will  go  immediately 
out  hunting. 

After  being  hunting,  he  returns  with  venison. 

F. — Have  you  been  hunting  ? 

£. — Yes,  I  have. 

F. — What  have  you  done  ? 

S. — We  have  killed  two  elks,  and  as  many  deer  as 
will  be  wanted. 

F. — Have  you  shot  no  turkeys  ? 

S. — I  shall  have  also,  twelve  turkeys. 

F. — Enough,  enough. 

The  people  are  now  assembled  in  Council. 

Sachem. — Are  you  here,  good  friends  ? 

Warriors. — Yes,  we  are. 

Sachem. — That  is  well,  you  are  welcome.  Set  down 
and  rest. 

Warriors. — With  pleasure,  for  we  are  much  tired. 

Sachem. — Are  you  also  hungry  ? 

Warriors. — Yes,  may'be  we  are  hungry. 

Sachem. — I  know  you  have  gone  a  great  way,  so 
you  must  be  very  hungry.  We  shall  have  meat  pres 
ently. 

Warriors. — That  will  do  for  us. 

Sachem. — Here,  you  have  to  eat.  Eat  all,  ye  good 
friends. 

Warriors. — Yes,  we  will  do  our  best.  Give  us  meat. 

Sachem. — Do  you  also  want  drink  ? 

Warriors. — Yes,  give  us  drink.  This  is  sweet  and 
good  water.  We  are  now  well  satisfied.  Thanks, 
thanks. 

Sachems  Speech  to  the  Warriors. — My  good  friends, 


84  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

all  of  you  don't  take  it  amiss  that  my  son  has  called 
you  to  this  place.  The  Swedes  dwell  here  upon  our 
land,  and  they  have  many  fortresses  and  houses  for 
their  habitation.  But  they  have  no  goods  to  sell  to 
us.  We  can  find  nothing  in  their  stores  that  we  want, 
and  we  cannot  trade  with  them.  The  question  is, 
whether  we  shall  go  out  and  kill  all  the  Swedes,  and 
destroy  them  altogether,  or  whether  we  shall  suffer 
them  to  remain  ?  Therefore,  I  am  glad  that  you  came 
here,  that  we  may  consult  together  on  this  subject. 
You  chiefs  and  warriors,  what  advice  do  you  give  ? 
What  shall  we  do  with  the  Swedes  ?  They  have  no 
cloth,  red,  blue,  or  brown.  They  have  no  kettles,  no 
brass,  no  lead,  no  guns,  no  powder.  They  have  nothing 
to  sell  us ;  but  the  English  and  Dutch  have  got  all 
sorts  of  merchandize. 

Some  of  the  Chiefs  answer. — We  are  for  the  Swedes, 
we  have  nothing  against  them. 

Another  Chief  answers. — It  would  be  well  to  kill  all 
the  Swedes ;  for  they  have  nothing  in  their  stores, 
for  which  we  can  trade  with  them. 

Tne  Common  Warriors  answer. 

A  common  warrior  says  :  Wherefore,  should  we  kill 
all  the  Swedes,  and  root  them  out  of  the  country  ? 
They  are  in  friendship  with  us.  We  have  no  com 
plaint  to  make  of  them.  Presently  they  will  bring 
here  a  large  ship  full  of  all  sorts  of  good  things. 

Others  ansiver. — You  talk  well,  we  common  warriors 
agree  with  you.  Then  we  shall  not  kill  all  the  Swedes, 
and  root  them  out  of  the  country. 

Others  reply. — No,  by  no  means.     For  the  Swedes 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  85 

are  good  enough,  and  they  will  shortly  have  here,  a 
large  ship  full  of  all  sorts  of  goods. 

The  King's  decision. — Right  so.  We,  native  Indians, 
will  love  the  Swedes,  and  the  Swedes  shall  be  our 
good  friends.  We,  and  the  Swedes,  and  the  Dutch, 
shall  always  trade  with  each  other.  We  shall  not 
make  war  upon  them  and  destroy  them.  This  is 
fixed  and  certain.  Take  care  to  observe  it. 

The  whole  meeting  answers. 

We  all  agree  it  shall  be  fixed  and  certain. 

Now,  we  are  going  home. 

Yes,  farewell. 

Whither  are  you  going  ? 

To  our  plantations. 

I  understand. 

The  maize  is  now  fully  ripe. 

Yes,  it  is  certainly  ripe. 

Now  then,  fare  ye  well.1 

Such  is  the  account  given  by  Campanius  of  the 
council  held  by  the  Indians,  to  decide  whether  they 
should  attempt  to  massacre  the  first  settlers  of  Dela 
ware.  It  is  the  only  recorded  proceedings  in  exist 
ence,  of  any  council  held  by  the  Indians  who  inhabited 
this  State,  or  of  any  meeting  of  theirs,  that  had  any 
relation  to  its  inhabitants.  This  council  will  be  al 
luded  to  in  our  history,  hereafter. 

1  See  Campanius,  153,  154,  155,  156. 


CHAPTER  V. 

FROM  A.D.  1492  TO  1606. 

Discovery  of  America  by  Columbus  —  Of  the  Continent  by  John 
Cabot  —  Sebastian  Cabot  sails  from  Labrador  to  Virginia  —  Passes 
the  Southern  Boundary  of  Delaware  —  Makes  several  other  voy 
ages  —  Made  Grand  Pilot  of  England  —  Verrazani  touches  the  Conti 
nent  in  the  latitude  of  Wilmington  —  Grant  to  Sir  Humphry 
Gilbert  —  He  touches  the  Continent  near  the  Kennebec  —  No  grant 
of  Delaware  —  Lost  on  his  return  to  England  —  Grant  to  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  —  He  has  the  right  to  Delaware  when  he  discovers  it  —  He 
does  not  do  it  —  He  assigns  the  right  to  merchants  in  London  — 
James  I.  claims  the  land  between  the  34th  and  45th  degrees  of 
latitude  —  Grant  to  Xorth  Virginia,  from  41st  to  45th  degree  of 
latitude  —  To  South  Virginia  34th  to  38th  degree  —  Delaware  not 
included. 


P14921  ^scoverJ  °f  ^ne  Western  hemis 

phere  was  made  by  Christopher  Columbus, 
a  Genoese,  who  was  employed  by  Ferdinand  and  Isa 
bella  (the  King  and  Queen  of  Spain)  to  discover  a 
new  route  to  the  Indies.  He  sailed  from  Palas,  in 
Spain,  on  the  14th  of  August,  1492,  old  style,1  and 
landed  at  St.  Salvador,  or  Cat  Island,  on  the  12th  of 
October  following.  This  discovery  of  Columbus  was 
the  cause  of  the  settlement  of  this  State  by  its  pre- 

1  There  are  nine  days  difference  between  the  old  and  new  styles,  the 
new  style  being  nine  days  later.  English  and  Swedish  date  op  to 
1752  are  old  style,  and  nine  days  must  be  added  to  them  to  corres 
pond  with  our  present  mode  of  reckoning.  Dutch  dates  are  new  style,, 
or  dates  now  in  use.  They  adopted  the  new  style  about  1600.  The 
English  did  not  adopt  it  until  1752. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  87 

sent  people.     As  the  discoveries  by  him  incited  the 
enterprise  of  the  citizens  and  navigators  of  England 
and  Holland,  the  former  of  whom  in  subsequent  voy 
ages  discovered  the  continent  of  which  our  State  is  a 
part,  and  the  latter  the  river,  on  the  banks  of   which 
it  is  situated.     In  May,  1497,  or  about  five 
years  after  Columbus  saw  the  first  island  of 
the   New  World   (as   the    Continent    of  America  is 
called),  John  Cabot,  a  Venetian,  under  the  authority 
of  the  English  King  Henry  VII.,  discovered  the  con 
tinent.     On  the  21st  of  June  he  first  saw  what  was 
supposed  at  that  time  to  have  been  the  Island  of  New 
foundland,  but  what  is  now  thought  to  have  been  the 
coast  of  Labrador.     He  soon  afterwards  returned  to 
England.     The  following  year  his  son  Sebas-    ri  400-1 
tian  Cabot,  who  was  with  him  on  his  first 
voyage,  and  born  in  Bristol,  in  England,  and  there 
fore  an  Englishman,  made  a  second  voyage,  and  ex 
plored  the  continent  from  Labrador  to  Virginia,  and 
some  say  to  Florida.     He  thus  sailed  past  the  south 
ern  shore  of  this  State,  on  the  Atlantic.  After  several 
other  voyages  he  returned  to  England,  during  the 
reign  of  Edward  VI.,  and  as  a  reward  for  his  services 
was   appointed  grand  pilot  of  the  kingdom.     Several 
other  voyagers  made  discoveries  in  America,  but  it  is 
not  our  purpose  to  allude  to  any  but  those  that  have 
in  some  manner  been  connected  with  the   State  of 
Delaware.     In  1524,  or  twenty-seven  years    ri  KO^-I 
after  Sebastian  Cabot  had  sailed  past  it  on 
the  Atlantic,  John  Verrazani,  a  Florentine  of  cele 
brity,  in  the  employment  of  the  French,  discovered 


88  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE, 

the  continent  in  the  latitude  of  Wilmington,  in  this 
State.     He  must  therefore  have  touched  or  observed 
it  at  what  is  now  called  the  Long  Beach,  in  New 
Jersey?  near  ^ne  town  of  Tuckerton.  In  1578 
Queen   Elizabeth  of    England    gave    to  Sir 
Humphrey  Gilbert  an  open  or  patent  letter  for  "all 
such  remote  heathen  and  barbarous  lands  as  he  should 
discover  in  North  America,  and  of  which  he  should 
take  possession  ;  these  lands  not  having  been  occupied 
before  by  any  other  Christian  power."     She  vested  in 
him  and  his  heirs  the  right  of  property,  and  guaran 
tied  that  all  who  should  settle  there  should  enjoy  the 
privileges  of  free  citizens  and  natives  of  England.   He 
was  to  acknowledge  the  sovereignty  of  England,  and 
pay  one-fifth  of  all  the  gold   obtained.     Under  this 
patent  he  made  several  voyages  during  the  year  1579 
and  1583,  and  touching  at  the  Island  of  New  Found- 
land,  sailed  as  far  south  as  the  Kennebeck,  but  it  does 
not  appear  that  he  had  himself  any  grant,  or  was  in 
any  way  connected  with  Delaware,  though  some  geo 
graphers  place    down  the  whole   territory   between 
Florida  and   New  Brunswick  as   being  the  "  Remote 
and  Heathen  Lands" patented  by  Queen  Elizabeth  to  Sir 
Humphry  Gilbert  in  1578.     This  map  is  so  laid  down 
in   Willard's    History  of  the    United   States.     This 
grant  would,  of  course,  include  Delaware,  but  as  the 
patent  granted  only  included  such   lands  as  he  dis 
covered,  and  he  did  not  sail  further  south  than  the 
mouth  of  the  Kennebeck  River,  in  Maine,  he  could 
have  never  had  any  jurisdiction  over  our  territory. 
However,  upon  the  death  of  Gilbert,  (a  noble,  gallant 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  89 

and  Christian  sailor,  who  was  lost  at  sea  in  a  little  vessel 
of  ten  tons,  called  the  Squirrel,  on  his  return  to  Eng 
land,)  a  patent  was  granted  by  the  same  queen  to  the 
celebrated  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  his  brother-in-law,  for 
all  the  land  he  should  discover  between  the  33d  arid 
40th  degree  of  north  latitude.  This  gave  him  the 
right  to  all  the  territory,  tvhen  he  found  it,  from  a 
short  distance  south  of  the  Santee  River,  in  South 
Carolina,  to  a  point  a  few  miles  north  of  Tom's  River, 
in  Ocean  County,  New  Jersey,  and  also  a  mile  or  so 
north  of  Philadelphia,  at  a  point  between  Philadelphia 
and  Germantown.  Raleigh  sent  several  vessels  to 
America,  which  discovered  Albermarle  and  Pamlico 
Sounds,  in  North  Carolina.  He  there  established  a 
colony  on  Roanoke  Island,  which  was  destroyed.  But 
it  does  not  appear  that  either  he,  or  any  of  those 
under  him,  ever  sailed  as  far  north  as  Delaware  Bay, 
and  all  his  connection  with  this  State  was  a  right  to 
discover  and  possess  it;  a  right  which  he  never  exer 
cised. 

Soon  after  Raleigh  assigned  his  patent  to  ri  CCOT 
a  company  of  merchants  in  London.  Seven 
years  after  this  assignment  to  the  London  merchants 
James  I.  of  England,  claiming  all  the  land  ripQp-i 
between  the  34th  and  45th  degrees  of  north 
latitude,  (or  from  Cape  Fear  River,  within  a  mile  or 
two  of  the  southern  boundary  of  North  Carolina,  to 
the  St.  Croix  River,  which  divides  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  United  States  at  the  State  of  Maine 
from  the  British  Colony  of  New  Brunswick,)  divided 
it  into  two  districts,  which  he  called  North  and  South 


90  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Virginia.     North  Virginia  included  from  the  41st  to 
the  45th  degree,  and  contained  the  whole  of  New 
England,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
a  small  part  of  New  Jersey,  and  that  portion  of  Penn 
sylvania  north  of  a  line  drawn  through  it  from  east  to 
west,  from  about  Stroudsburg,  in  Monroe  County,  on 
its    eastern    border,    to    New    Castle,    in    Lawrence 
County,  on  its  western  border.     This  he  granted  to 
the  Plymouth  Company,  composed  of  "  knights,  gen 
tlemen  and    merchants."      South    Virginia   included 
from  the  34th  to  the  38th  degree  of  latitude,  and  con 
tained  the  territory  between  the  mouth  of  the  Cape 
Fear  River,  near  the  boundary  of  North  and  South 
Carolina,  and  the  boundary  of  Virginia  and  Maryland. 
This  was  granted  to  the  London  Company,  composed 
of    "noblemen,   gentlemen  and    merchants,"  mostly 
resident  of  the   City  of  London.     The  intermediate 
district,  from  the  38th  to  the  41st  degree,  comprising 
the  States  of  Delaware  and  Maryland,  and  the  largest 
part    of    Pennsylvania,    nearly   the    whole   of    New 
Jersey,  Manhattan  Island,  on  which  the   present  city 
of  New  York  stands,  together  with  Staten  and  nearly 
the  whole  of  Long  Island,  was  open  to  the  settlement 
of  both   companies,  but  neither  was  to  come   within 
one  hundred  miles  of  the  other.     These  grants  were 
thus  made  three  years  before  the  discovery  of  Dela 
ware  River,  by  either  the  English  or  any  other  nation. 
Under  these  companies  both  Virginia  and  New  Eng 
land  were  settled.       The  Plymouth    or   North  Vir 
ginia  Company,  however,  fourteen  years  afterwards, 
succeeded  in  getting  their  charter  modified,  and  their 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  91 

territory  extended,  by  an  additional  grant  of  one  de 
gree  of  latitude  from  the  40th  to  the  41st  degree, 
thus  bringing  under  their  dominion  the  whole  of  New 
York  and  nearly  the  whole  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
near  two-thirds  of  New  Jersey. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FROM  1600  TO  1614. 

Employment  of  Henry  Hudson  by  the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  to  fin  J 
a  Northeast  passage  to  China  —  Sailed  from  Texel,  in  the  yacht 
"  Half  Moon"—  His  Discovery  of  Cape  Cod  —  Supposed  Discovery 
of  Chesapeake  Bay  —  Discovery  of  Delaware  Bay  —  Log  of  Robert 
Jewett,  Hudson's  Mate  —  Discovery  by  Capt.  Argall  —  Visit  of  Lord 
De-la-war,  in  the  Bay  from  which  it  derives  its  Name  —  Aban 
donment  of  Hudson  by  his  Mariners  in  Hudson's  Bay  —  Sketch 
of  the  Life  of  Hudson  —  Recorded  Names  of  Crew  of  Half  Moon  — 
Samuel  Purchase.  First  Writer  on  Delaware. 


Hudson?  an  Englishman,  in  the 
employ  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company, 
belongs  the  honor  of  first  discovering  the  State  of 
Delaware.  He  certainly  never  landed,  but  sailing 
into  the  Bay  from  which  the  State  derives  its  name, 
he  undoubtedly  obtained  a  sight  of  our  shores.  He 
was  engaged  by  the  East  India  Company  to  find  a 
Northeast  passage  to  China.  That  measure  at  that 
period,  obtaining  a  large  portion  of  the  attention  of 
the  scientific  and  commercial  portions  of  the  civilized 
world.  Accordingly,  he  was  engaged  by  that  Com 
pany,  as  captain  and  supercargo  of  the  ship  or  yacht 
"Halvemann,"  (or  Half  Moon,)  40  lasts  or  eighty 
tons  burthen.  She  left  the  Texel,  April  9,  1609,1 
and  sailing  toward  the  Northeast,  endeavored  to  make 
a  passage  to  China  in  that  direction,  but  changed  his 

1  Broadhead's  Address,  N.  J.  Historical  Col. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE,  93 

course  owing  to  the  ice,  and  stood  over  toward  what 
then  was  called  New  France,  now.  the  British  pos 
sessions  of  North  America.  He  passed  the  Banks  of 
Newfoundland,  in  latitude  43°  23'.  He  made  the  land 
in  latitude  44°  15',  and  went  on  shore  at  a  place  where 
there  were  many  of  the  natives  with  whom,  as  he 
understood  the  French  came  every  year  to  trade. 
This  place  is  supposed  to  be  the  mouth  of  the  Penob- 
scot,  or  a  small  French  settlement,  now  Annapolis. 

From  thence  he  took  his  course  to  the  South,  run 
ning  S.  S.  W.,  and  S.  W.  by  S.,  where  he  again  made 
land,  in  41°  43',  which  he  supposed  to  be  an  island, 
and  gave  the  name  of  New  Holland,  but  afterward 
discovered  that  it  was  Cape  Cod.  Pursuing  his  course 
toward  the  South,  he  again  saw  land  in  37°  15'.  The 
coast  was  low,  running  North  and  South,  and  opposite 
to  it  lay  a  bank  or  shoal,  within  which  was  a  depth 
of  8,  9,  10.  11,  and  G£  fathoms,  with  a  sandy  bottom. 
This  he  called  Dry  Cape  (supposed  to  be  Chesapeake 
Bay,  and  Cape  Charles).  Changing  his  course  to  the 
northward,  he  ngain  discovered  land  in  latitude  38°  9', 
where  there  was  a  white  sandy  shore,  and  within  ap 
peared  a  thick  grove  of  trees,  full  of  green  foliage. 
His  direction  of  the  coast  was  N.  N.  E.,  and  S.  S.  W., 
for  about  24  miles,  then  North  and  South  for  21  miles, 
and  afterward  S.  E.  and  N.  W.,  for  15  miles.  They 
continued  to  run  along  this  course  to  the  North,  until 
they  reached  a  point  from  which  the  land  stretches  to 
W.  N.  "VV.,  where  several  rivers  discharge  into  an  open 
bay.  Land  was  seen  to  the  E.  N.  E.,  which  Hudson 
at  first 'took  for  an  island,  but  it  proved  to  be  the 


94  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

main  land,  and  the  second  point  of  this  bay,  in  lati 
tude  38°  54'.  This  was,  without  doubt,  Cape  May, 
now  laid  down  in  latitude  38°  57'.  varying  only  three 
minutes  from  the  observation  of  Hudson;  the  re 
mainder  of  the  description  applies  well  enough  to  the 
Delaware  Bay  and  River,  now,  first  discovered  by 
the  Dutch.  Standing  in  upon  a  course  N.  W.  by  E., 
they  soon  found  themselves  embayed,  and  encoun 
tered  many  breakers,  and  stood  out  again  to  the 
S.  S.  E.  Hudson  supposed  that  a  large  river  dis 
charged  into  the  bay,  from  the  strength  of  the  cur 
rent  that  set  out,  and  caused  the  accumulation  of 
sands  and  shoals.  Convinced  that  the  way  to  China 
did  not  lay  in  that  direction,  they  then  continued 
along  the  coast  toward  Sandy  Hook.1 

^e  f°H°wm8'  ig  fr°m  the  log-book  of  Rob 
ert  Jewett,  the  mate,  who  gives  the  follow 
ing  account  of  the  discovery  of  Delaware  Bay. 

"  Friday,  Aug.  28.  Fair,  and  hot  weather,  wind 
S.  S.  W.  In  the  morning,  at  6  o'clock,  we  weighed 
and  steered  away  north  12  leagues  until  noon,  and 
came  to  the  point  of  the  land ;  and  being  hard  by  the 
land  in  five  fathoms,  on  a  sudden  we  came  into  three 
fathoms,  and  we  bore  up  and  we  had  but  ten  feet 
water,  and  joined  to  the  point.  Then,  as  soon  as  we 
were  over,  we  had  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  12,  and  13 
fathoms.  Then  we  found  the  land  to  trend  away  N. 
W.,  with  a  great  bay  and  river.  But  the  bay  we 
found  shoal,  and  in  the  offing  we  found  ten  fathoms, 

1  De  Laet's  Description,  N.  Y.  His.  Col. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  95 

and  had  sight  of  beaches  and  dry  sands.  Then  we 
were  forced  to  stand  back  again,  so  we  stood  back 
S.  E.  by  S.,  three  leagues,  and  at  7  o'clock  we  an 
chored  in  eight  fathoms  of  water,  and  found  a  tide  set 
N.  W.  and  N.  N.  W.,  and  it  rises  one  fathom,  and 
flows  S.  S.  E.  And  he  that  will  thoroughly  explore 
this  great  bay,  must  have  a  small  pinnace,  that  must 
draw  but  four  or  five  feet  water,  to  sound  before  him. 
At  5  in  the  morning  we  weighed,  and  steered  away 
to  the  eastward  on  many  courses,  for  the  more  north 
ern  land  is  full  of  shoals ;  we  were  among  them,  and 
once  we  struck,  and  we  went  away  and  steered  away 
to  the  S.  E.,  so  that  we  had  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  and  7 
fathoms,  and  so,  deeper  and  deeper."1 

From  this  it  will  be  seen,  that  Hudson  was  the 
first  person  that  discovered  this  State,  and  that  the 
28th  day  of  August,  1609,  was  the  first  time  its 
shores  were  seen  by  civilized  man.  One  year  later, 
it  is  alledged,  that  Sir  Samuel  Argall,2  after- 
ward  Governor  of  Virginia,  visited  the  Dela 
ware  Bay,  and  named  it  Cape  Delaware,  after  Lord 
De-la-war,  the  Governor  of  Virginia.  In  his  report 
he  states,  that  he  caught  halibut,  cod,  and  ling  fish 
in  the  Bay.3  The  year  afterwards,  Lord  De-  ri  gi  i  n 
la-war  himself  visited  the  Bay,  on  his  voy 
age  homeward.  It  was  after  this  called  by  the  English 
Delaware  Bay.  The  Indians  called  it  Chickohockie.4 

1  N.  Y.  His.  Col. 

2  It  was  Argall  that  seized  on  Pocahontas,  as  a  hostage  for  the  good 
conduct  of  her  father,  the  Indian  chieftain,  Powhattan. 

3  Strachey.  4  Anderson's  History  of  Colonial  Church. 


96  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

To  Hudson,  therefore,  is  due  the  honor  of  its  first  dis 
covery,  and  although  his  name  is  not  applied  to  it,  it 
still  lives  in  that  of  the  great  river,  on  the  banks  of 
which  is  seated  the  great  metropolis  of  this  continent, 
and  the  great  bay  of  the  North,  which  has  proved 
both  his  u  tomb  and  his  monument."1  In  other  words, 
Hudson  River,  on  which  the  great  city  of  New  York 
is  situated,  and  the  great  Hudson's  Bay,  in  the  Brit 
ish  possessions  of  North  America,  where  he  was 
abandoned  by  his  treacherous  sailors,  and  never 
afterward  heard  of. 

The  Delaware  Bay  (and  consequently  the  State  of 
Delaware),  was  discovered  by  Hudson  six  days  be 
fore  he  entered  the  Hudson  River.  As  we  have  before 
said,  the  28th  of  August,  he  sailed  in  and  explored 
the  waters  of  the  great  Bay,  from  which  this  State 
derives  its  name  ;  whereas  the  Half  Moon  did  not 
anchor  within  Sandy  Hook  until  the  evening  of  the 
3d  of  September.  New  York,  to  use  the  words 
of  an  eminent  descendant  of  Delaware,  is  accord 
ingly,  Delaware's  younger  sister.2 

Of  the  birth,  parentage,  home,  boyhood,  and  early 
days  of  the  manhood  of  the  discoverer  of  Delaware ; 
nothing  is  known  prior  to  the  19th  of  April,  1607, 
when  he  suddenly  appears  upon  the  stage  of  action 
as  a  captain  in  the  employ  of  the  Muscovy  Company, 
an  English  Company,  of  which  another  Henry  Hudson 

1  Bancroft,  265-275,  19th  Edition. 

2  Lecture  delivered  by  Jno.  Meredith   Read,  before   the   Historical 
Society  of  Delaware,  October  13,  18G4,  on  the  life  of  Hudson.     Pub 
lished  by  the  Historical  Society  of  Delaware. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  97 

(supposed  to  be  his  grandfather1)  was  one  of  the 
founders,  formed  for  the  purpose  of  trading  between 
England  and  Russia.  The  original  name  of  the 
family  was  supposed  to  be  Hodgson  (derived  from 
Hodge's  son — the  original,  bearer  of  the  surname 

t— -  O 

being  the  son  of  Hodge),  and  thus  changed  to  Hodg 
son,  and  from  thence  to  Hudson  by  various  modes 
of  spelling.  He  first  commanded  a  ship  called  the 
Hopewell,  in  which  he  was  sent  to  discover  a  route 
to  China  by  the  way  of  Spitzbergen  and  the  North 
Pole  in  April,  1607.  In  1608  he  made  a  second 
voyage  for  a  similar  purpose,  for  the  same  company, 
which  resulted  in  making  known  a  portion  of  Nova 
Zembla.  In  1609,  in  the  service  of  the  Dutch  East 
India  Company,  he  discovered  New  Netherlands  (a 
part  of  which  was  the  State  of  Delaware).  His  mate 
desired  that  he  should  winter  in  Newfoundland  and 
search  for  a  northwestern  passage.  But  as  his  crew 
were  mutinous,  and  had  savagely  threatened  him,  and 
as  many  of  them  were  ill  and  sickly,  they  returned 
homeward.  On  their  voyage  they  put  into  Dartmouth 
in  England  on  the  7th  of  November.  Hudson  and 
the  other  English  were  here  commanded  not  to  leave 
England  but  serve  their  own  country.2  The  Half 
Moon3  returned  to  Amsterdam  after  eight  months  de 
tention.4 

In  the  preceding   month   of  April,  Hudson  sailed 

1  Lecture  by  John  Meredith  Read.  2  Purchase's  Pilgrimages. 

3  This  vessel,  the  first  that  ever  entered  the  Delaware,  was  wrecked 
at  the  Island  of  Mauritus  in  1015.     Broadhead  i.,  43. 

4  Stowe'fi  Chronicle,  509,  510. 

7 


98  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

under  English  auspices  again  to  search  for  a  north 
west  passage.  lie  wintered  in  latitude  52,  and  sailed 
up  to  latitude  GO  along  the  western  shore  of  the  Hud 
son  Bay.  Here  his  crew  mutinied.  They  had  been 
absent  from  home  ten  months,  with  provisions  for 
only  eight,  and  during  their  whole  voyage  they  had 
met  with  but  a  single  man,  an  Indian  armed  v.ith  a 
cris  or  poinard.  He  brought  them  an  animal  which 
they  a,te,  but  having  badly  treated  him,  he  went  away 
and  never  returned.  Now,  although,  "  he  had  divided 
even  with  tears  his  last  bread  with  his  men,  yet  on  a 
midsummer's  day  in  161 1,  his  ungrateful  crew  thrust 
him  into  a  frail  boat  with  his  son,"1  John  Hudson, 
and  left  them  to  their  fate.  The  crew  then  returned 
by  the  way  they  had  come,  and  reached  their  home 
in  September,  1611,  where  they  were  thrown  into 
prison.  Three  ships  were  fitted  out  and  sent  in  search 
of  Hudson  by  the  King,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  some 
merchants,  but  the  unfortunate  discoverer  of  Delaware 
was  never  heard  of  more. 

All  published  accounts2  of  Hudson  are  derived  from 
"  Purchase's  Pilgrimages  ;  or,  Relations  of  the  World," 
an  unfinished  work  giving  an  account  of  the  voyages 
of  the  early  navigators.3 

1  Bancroft. 

2  J.  M.  Read,  Jr. 

3  The  Rev.  Samuel  Purchase  was  a  London  clergyman.     He  is  en 
titled  to  the  honor  of  being  the  first  author  who  wrote  of  our  State. 
He  was  a  philosopher,  historian  and  theologian,  widely  known  for  his 
writings,  especially  for  his  large  volumes  pertaining  to  the  East  and 
West  Indies.     The  publishing  of  his  works  brought  him  in  debt,  but 
he  died  not  in  prison,  as  stated,  but  in  his  own  house. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  99 

• 

Besides  Hudson,  Robert  Juet  and  John  Coleman, 
are  the  only  recorded  names  of  the  crew  of  the  Half 
Moon  that  visited  Delaware  Bay.  Hudson's  manu 
scripts  are  lost,  and  the  only  written  account  of  his 
visit  to  the  Delaware,  is  that  of  Juet,  who  lived  at 
Limehouse. 

Delaware  Bay  and  River  has  received  different 
names  from  the  various  nations  who  have  at  different 
times  inhabited  it.  By  the  Indians  it  was  called 
Pontaxat,  Chickohockee,  Mariskitten  and  Moherish- 
kisken,  and  Lenape  Whittuck.  The  Dutch  called  it 
Zuydt  or  South  River,  Nassau  River,  and  Prince 
Hendrick's  or  Charles  River ;  the  Swedes,  New 
S  wed  eland  Stream  ;  the  English,  Delaware ;  Heylin, 
in  his  Cosmography,  calls  it  Arasapha.  It  has  also 
been  known  as  Newport  and  Godyn's  Bay. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

FROM  1614  TO  1G21. 

Passage  of  General  Edict  by  States  of  Holland  in  favor  of  Discoverers 
of  New  Lands — Terms  of  the  Edict — Fitting  out  of  vessels  under 
it — Building  of  Block's  vessel  the  Fortune — Building  of  the 
Yacht  Restless,  the  first  vessel  built  in  the  United  States — 
Naming  of  Cape  May  from  Capt.  Cornells  Jacobsen  Mey — Re 
turn  of  the  vessels  to  Holland — Hendrickson  sails  up  the  Dela 
ware  to  the  Schuylkill — Hendrickson  the  first  who  Landed  in  the 
State  of  Delaware — He  purchases  Indians  from  the  Minquas — 
Block,  May  and  the  rest  form  a  Company  and  Petition  the  State 
General  for  Confirmation  of  the  Privileges  promised  to  Discoverers 
by  their  Edict — Their  Petition  granted — Death  of  Lord  Delaware 
from  whom  the  River  and  State  derives  its  Name — His  antecedents 
and  Family. 

AFTER  the  discovery  by  Hudson  in  1609, 
no  steps  were  taken  by  Europeans  to  settle 
the  shores  of  the  Delaware  until  1614,  at  least  none 
known  at  the  present  day,  as  the  document  relating 
to  events  between  those  periods  were  destroyed  in 
Holland.  In  that  year  in  consequence  of  petitions 
being  presented  to  the  States  of  Holland  by  "  many 
merchants  interested  in  the  maritime  discovery"  to 
what,  in  the  terms  of  the  petition,  were  called  the  "High 
and  Mighty  States  General  of  Holland,"  a  general 
edict  was  passed  in  favor  of  all  persons  who  should 
discover  "  any  new  courses,  havens,  countries,  or 
places,  of  the  exclusive  privilege  of  resorting  to  and 
frequenting  the  same  for  four  voyages?  If  any  vio- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  101 

lated  the  provisions  of  the  edict,  they  were  to  forfeit 
their  vessels  and  be  fined  50,000  Netherland  ducats, 
which  were  to  be  given  to  the  discoverer  whose  rights 
they  had  infringed  upon.  The  discoverer  in  fourteen 
days  after  his  return  was  required  to  deliver  to  the 
State  "a  pertinent  report  of  his  discoveries."  If  one 
or  more  companies  were  to  discover  the  same  coun 
tries  "  within  the  same  time,  then  they  were  unitedly 
to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  the  four  voyages,  the  time 
when  they  shall  cease  to  be  determined  by  the  States, 
who  were  also  to  settle  any  differences  arising."1 

Under  this  edict,  there  were  five  vessels  fitted  out 
by  merchants  of  Amsterdam,  viz.,  the  Fortune  belong 
ing  to  Hoorne,  by  Captain  Cornelis  Jacobson  Mey ; 
the  Tiger,  commanded  by  Captain  Hendrick  Cortien- 
son ;  the  Fox,  Captain  De  With ;  the  Nightingale, 
Captain  Volkersten,  and  another  vessel,  named  the 
Fortune,  commanded  by  Captain  Adrien  Block.  These 
vessels  sailed  to  the  mouth  of  the  Manhattan  River, 
where  Block's  vessel  was  unfortunately  destroyed  by 
fire.  To  supply  the  place  of  his  burnt  ship,  he  built 
at  a  small  island,  near  the  mouth  of  Long  Island 
Sound,  on  the  coast  of  Rhode  Island  (and  now  named 
after  him  Block  Island),  a  yacht  of  38  feet  keel,  44  J 
feet  long,  and  11  feet  wide,  which  he  called  the 
"  Onrest"  or  Restless.  She  was  when  finished  about 
16  tons  burthen.  This  was  the  first  vessel  built  in 
this  country  by  Europeans.  With  the  exception  of 
the  Fortune,  Captain  Mey,  all  these  vessels  sailed  to 

1  Hist.  Doc.,  translated  by  O'Callighan. 


102  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

the  eastward.  Captain  Mey  sailed  south  and  arrived 
at  the  Delaware  Bay,  and  it  is  from  him  that  the 
eastern  cape  of  the  Delaware  derives  its  present 
name  of  Cape  May.  The  southern  cape  was  named 
after  his  first  name  Cape  Cornelius,  but  it  was  after 
wards  changed  to  Cape  Henlopen,  the  name  it  at 
present  bears.  Shortly  after  this  all  the  vessels  re 
turned  to  Holland,  with  the  exception  of  the  yacht 
Restless,  which  was  placed  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Hendrickson.  She  was  left  to  make  a  more 
minute  examination  of  the  country,  and  was  the  first 
vessel  to  explore  the  Delaware  Bay  and  River. 
'  In  it  Hendrickson  sailed  up  the  river  as  high 
as  the  Schuylkill.  He  was  consequently  the  first 
whom  it  is  known,  beyond  a  doubt,  discovered  this 
State  and  landed  on  our  shores.  Hudson  had  merely 
a  view  of  our  coast,  from  where  our  southern  bound 
ary  touches  Worcester  County,  Maryland,  to  about 
where  the  town  of  Lewistown  now  stands.  There  is 
no  evidence  that  either  Argall  or  Delaware  went  on 
shore.  But  Hendrickson  landed  on  our  soil,  and 
made  purchases  of  some  prisoners  taken  in  battle 
from  the  Minquas  who  inhabited  the  banks  of  the 
Christiana.  Therefore,  to  him,  we  think,  belongs  the 
real  honor  of  being  the  first  discoverer  of  the  State 
of  Delaware.  In  his  report,  which  is  among  the  Hol 
land  Documents,  and  which,  however,  gives  but  little 
information,  he  speaks  of  "  having  discovered  and  ex 
plored  certain  lands,  a  bay  and  three  rivers,  situated 
between  38  and  40  degrees,  in  a  small  yacht  of  six 
teen  tons  burthen,  named  the  "Onrest"  (Restless), 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  103 

which  had  been  built  at  Manhattan.  He  also  states, 
that  "he  bought  three  native  inabitants  from  the  Ma- 
quas  (Minquas)  and  Mohicans,  who  held  them  in 
slavery,  for  whom  he  gave  in  exchange  kettles,  beads 
and  merchandise."  He  also  furnished  a  very  curious 
map  (a  fac  simile  of  which  is  now  at  Albany,  N.  Y.) 
drawn  on  parchment,  about  two  feet  long  and  eighteen, 
inches  wide,  and  "  executed  in  the  most  elegant  style 
of  art,"  showing  "very  accurately  the  coasts  from 
Nova  Scotia  to  the  Capes  of  Virginia.  Hendrickson 
applied  to  the  States  of  Holland  for  the  privileges 
promised  by  the  edict  passed  by  them,  and  on  the 
faith  of  which,  he  made  his  discoveries,  but  from 
some  cause  he  was  unsuccessful  in  his  application.1 
The  bay  and  rivers,  spoken  of  by  Hendrickson  as 
discovered  by  him,  were  undoubtedly  the  Delaware 
Bay  and  River,  the  Christiana  and  the  Schuylkill. 
The  Delaware  was  the  river  on  which  he  sailed.  The 
Christiana  the  one  from  which  he  purchased  the  slave 
Indians  from  the  Minquas  who  inhabited  its  banks, 
and  the  Schuylkill,  the  one  that  marked  the  limit  of 
his  voyage  up  the  first  mentioned  river. 

After  Block,  Mey,  and  their  fleet  returned  to  Hol 
land,  they  formed  themselves  into  a  company,  and  on 
the  llth  of  October  they  petitioned  the  States  General 
for  a  special  edict  in  their  favor,  agreeable  to  the 
terms  of  the  general  ordinance  of  the  27th  of  March. 
They  stated  that  at  great  expense  and  heavy  damages 
to  themselves,  arising  from  loss  of  vessels  during  the 
last  year,  they  had,  with  five  ships  owned  by  them, 

1  L'roadhead,  18  ;  Hist.  Doc.,  59  ;   O'Callighan,  18. 


104  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

discovered  and  explored  certain  new  lands  lying  in 
America  between  New  France  and  Virginia,  in  the 
latitude   from  40   to  45  degrees,  which  they  called 
"  New  Netherlands."     They  also  presented  a  map  of 
the  newly  discovered   country,  which  amongst  other 
things,  contained  a  faithful  delineation  of  the  Hudson 
River  as  far  as  Albany,  which  was   made  within  five 
years  after  the  discovery  of  that  river  by  Hudson  (a 
fcie  simile  copy  of  which  is  also  preserved  amongst 
the  records  of  New  York).     The  State  General  after 
hearing  the  report  and  examining  their  map,  granted 
to   Captains   De  With,   Block,  Volkersten  and  Mey, 
the  discoverers,  now  united  into  one  company,1  with 
the  privilege  "  exclusively  to   navigate  to   the   said 
newly   discovered  lands    lying  in  America  between 
New   France   and  Virginia,   the   coast    of    which    is 
situated  in  latitude  from  40  to  45  (now  called   New 
Netherlands),  for  five  voyages,  within   the  period  of 
three  years,  commencing  the   first  day  of  January, 
1615."     None  others  were  allowed  the  privilege  of 
navigating  to   or  trading  with  those  countries  under 
penalty  of  the  confiscation  of  the  vessels  and  cargoes, 
and  a  fine    of    50,000   Netheiiand    ducats   for    the 
benefit   of  the  discoverers.     This   decree  was   dated 
at  the  Hague,  October  11,  1814.     They  thus  granted 
to  these  navigators,  what  King  James  the  First  had 
claimed  eight  years  before,  and  granted  the  most  of 
it,  viz.,  between  41  and  45  degrees,   to   the   North 
Virginia  Company,  in  160G.     We   have  no  evidence 
that  the  vessels  of  this  company  ever  traded  on  the 
Delaware.     Their  privileges   expired   by   their    own 


1  Broadhead  Address.     IL.lland  Doc. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  105 

limitation  in  1618.  An  application  for  their  renewal 
was  partially  granted  and  for  limited  periods.1  The 
same  year  the  company's  privilege  expired. 

Lord  De-la-war  from  whom  the  bay  and  rifn  on 
State  derives  its  name,  died.  Some  say,  off 
the  Capes  of  Delaware  ;  others,  off  the  Western  Isles. 
He  was  on  a  voyage  from  Virginia  to  England.  It 
has  been  asserted  that  he  was  poisoned.2  This,  how 
ever,  we  do  not  believe.  There  were  three  hundred 
persons  on  board  the  vessel  with  him  at  the  time, 
sixty  of  whom  also  died. 

Lord  De-la-war's  real  name  was  Sir  Thomas  West 
(West  being  the  family  name  of  the  De-la-wars).  He 
was  the  third  son  of  Lord  De-la-war,  and  we  suppose, 
out  of  courtesy,  received  the  title  of  his  father.  In 
1602  he  married  the  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Shirley. 
The  name  of  Shirley,  the  ancient  seat  on  James  River, 
Virginia,  may  be  traced  to  this  source.  He  was  the 
first  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  one  of  the  best.  His 
name  first  appears  in  a  commission  appointed  in  the 
reign  of  James  the  First,  "for  inquiring  into  the  cause 
of  all  such  persons  as  should  be  found  openly  opposing 
the  doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England."  Persons 
descended  from  the  West  stock  are  yet  to  be  found 
in  Virginia  bearing  the  name.  West  Point  in  that 
State  derives  its  name  from  this  source.  Earl  Dela 
ware,  who  lived  in  England  a  few  years  ago  (and  prob 
ably  may  be  yet  living)  is  a  descendant  of  his.  All, 
however,  that  he  had  to  do  with  our  State,  was  the 
honor  of  giving  us  a  name. 

1  Holland  Document.  2  Beverly's  Virginia. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FROM  1621  TO  1629. 

Charter  of  the  Dutch  West  India  Company,  the  United  Company  of 
the  -United  Netherlands  —  Licenses  granted  to  Trade  with  New 
Netherlands,  its  Boundaries,  which  included  Delaware  —  English 
hear  of  Dutch  Trading  on  the  Delaware  —  Vessel  sent  by  them 
runaway  with  by  her  crew  —  Information  of  Dutch  Trading  sent 
to  England  —  English  Ambassador  remonstrates  with  the  Dutch 
Government  —  Sailing  of  an  Expedition  for  the  South  (Delaware) 
River  with  Colonists  —  Building  of  Fort  Nassau  —  Arrival  of  Gov 
ernor  Minuit  New  Amsterdam  —  William  Usselincx  presents 
the  plan  of  a  Swedish  West  India  Company  to  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus  —  Granting  of  the  Charter,  its  principal  features,  delight  of 
the  Swedes  at  the  enterprise,  they  eagerly  subscribe,  their  attempt 
at  Settlement  stopped  by  the  War  —  Birth  of  Queen  Christina,  in 
whose  reign  the  State  was  first  settled. 


["16211  Pr^v^eSes  of  the  first  company,  or  ori 

ginal  discoverers  of  Delaware  and  other  por 
tions  of  this  continent,  having  expired  by  limitation, 
and  the  trade  thus  becoming  free  to  all,  the  celebrated 
West  India  Company  was  chartered,  under  whose 
auspices  the  first  settlements  were  made  on  the  banks 
of  the  Delaware,  and  within  the  limits  of  this  State. 
The  charter  provided  that  for  the  space  of  twenty- 
four  years  no  native  inhabitants  of  the  United  Nether 
lands  should  be  permitted  to  sail  to  or  from  the  said 
lands,  or  to  traffic  on  the  Coast  of  Africa,  from  the 
tropic  of  Cancer  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  nor  in 
the  countries  of  America  or  the  West  Indies,  begin- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  107 

ning  at  the  south  end  of  Terra  Nova  by  the  Straits 
of  Magellan,  La  Maire,  or  any  other  straits  and  pass 
age  situate  thereabout,  to  the  Straits  of  Anian,  as 
well  on  the  North  Sea,  as  on  the  South  Sea;  nor  any 
islands  situate  on  the  one  side  or  the  other,  or  between 
both,  nor  on  the  western  or  southern  countries, 
reaching,  lying,  and  between  both  the  meridians,  from 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  the  east,  to  the  east  end 
of  New  Guinea,  in  the  west,  but  in  the  name  of  the 
United  Company  of  these  United  Netherlands,  "  under 
penalty  of  forfeiture  of  goods  and  ships  found  for 
sale  on  the  above  coasts  and  lands.  The  charter  to 
operate  from  the  1st  of  July." 

The  company  may  in  the  name  and  authority  of 
the  State  make  alliances,  contracts,  &c.,  with  the 
natives  of  the  countries  mentioned,  build  forts,  "ap 
point  and  discharge  governors,  equip  armies,"  appoint 
"  officers  of  justice,  and  other  public  officers,  &c. ;" 
"  they  must  advance  the  peopling"  of  these  countries, 
&c.,  and  transmit  a  report  of  such  contracts  and  alli 
ances,  and  "  the  situation  of  the  fortresses,  &c. 
taken  by  them.  The  States  to  approve  of  instruc 
tions  to  governors,"  and  to  grant  the  commissions, 
with  various  other  regulations  of  their  internal  con 
cerns.1 

The  company  had  five  branches,  or  chambers,  in 
different  sections  ;  but  the  principal  was  at  Amster 
dam.  The  board  governing  consisted  of  nineteen 
members,  which  was  usually  denominated  the  Col 
lege  of  nineteen,  of  which  Amsterdam  furnished 

1  Hazard's  Historical  Collection. 


108  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

eight  members,  the  State  General  one,  and  Zealand, 
Maeze,  Friesland,  the  North  Department  and  Groen- 
ingen  the  remainder. 

The  West  India  Company  did  not  commence  opera 
tions  under  their  charter  for  some  time  after  its  grant. 
Licenses  were,  however,  granted  to  several  persons  to 
send  out  two  vessels  to  truck  and  trade  with  the 
natives  in  newly  discovered  countries  between  lati 
tudes  40°  and  45°,  called  "  New  Netherlands,"  and 
to  the  adjacent  territories,  together  with  a  great  river 
lying  between  38  and  40  degrees  of  latitude.1  The 
great  river  ivas  undoubtedly  the  Delaware,  as  it  is  the 
only  great  river  lying  between  those  two  degrees. 
These  vessels  were  bound  to  return  with  their  cargoes 
before  the  following  1st  of  July.  We  have  no  ac 
count  of  their  visit  to  Delaware.  But  information 
from  several  hands  had  reached  the  Virginia  Com 
pany  that  the  French  and  Dutch  carried  on  a  very 
profitable  trade  with  the  Indians  on  Delaware  and  Hud 
son  Rivers,  which  they  supposed  "  were  within  their 
grant,  and  then  esteemed  parts  of  Virginia.  The 
Company  therefore  this  year  resolved  to  vindicate 
their  rights,  and  not  to  permit  foreigners  to  run  away 
with  so  lucrative  a  branch  of  their  trade.  One  Cap 
tain  Jones  was  accordingly  sent  upon  the  voyage,  but 
by  the  wickedness  of  him  and  his  manners,  the  adven 
ture  was  lost,  and  the  whole  project  overthrown," 
after  having  been  supported  by  the  Earl  of  South 
ampton  and  Sir  Edward  Sandys,  who  each  subscribed 
«£200.2 

1  Holl.  Documents.  2  Stith's  History  of  Virginia. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  109 

Confirmation  of  this  attempt  of  the  Dutch  to  trade 
with  and  occupy  territories  on  this  continent  was 
immediately  sent  by  the  Virginia  Company  to  the 
English  Government,  who  at  once  directed  their  Am 
bassador  at  the  Hague,  Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  "  to  bring 
the  subject  of  the  Dutch  Plantations  in  North  Ame 
rica  to  the  special  notice  of  the  State  General."  The 
English  Privy  Council  say,  "Whereas,  His  Ma 
jesty's  subjects  have  many  years  since  taken  posses 
sion  of  the  whole  precincts,  and  inhabited  some  parts 
north  of  Virginia,  (by  us  called  New  England,)  of  all 
which  countries  his  Majesty  hath  in  like  manner,  some 
years  since,  by  patent  granted  the  quiet  and  full 
possession  unto  particular  persons,  nevertheless,  we 
understand  that  the  year  past,  the  Hollanders  have 
entered  upon  some  part  thereof,  and  have  left  a 
colony,  and  have  given  new  names  to  the  several 
ports  appertaining  to  that  part  of  the  country,  and 
are  now  in  readiness  to  send  for  their  supply  six  or 
eight  ships ;  whereof  his  Majesty  being  advertised, 
we  have  received  his  royal  command  to  signify  his 
pleasure  that  you  should  represent  these  things  to  the 
States  General,  in  his  Majesty's  name,  who  jure  pri- 
mae  occupationis,  (by  right  of  first  occupation,)  hath 
good  and  sufficient  title  to  these  parts,  and  require 
of  them  that  as  well  as  those  ships,  as  their  further 
prosecution  of  that  plantation  may  be  presently  stayed." 

This  remonstrance  of  the  English  Privy    rip .1-1-1 
Council  was  made  on  the  15th  of  December, 
(0.  S.)  Sir  Dudley  Carleton  appears  to  have  delivered 
the  remonstrance  to  the  State  of  Holland  the  follow- 


110  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 


["16991  year*      ^e  inf°rms  the   Council    "that 

about  four  or  five  years  previously,  two  com 
panies  of  Amsterdam  merchants  began  a  trade  to 
America,  between  40°  and  45°,  to  which  they  gave 
the  name  of  New  Netherlands,  North  and  South  Sea, 
£c.,  and  had  ever  since  continued  to  send  vessels  of 
60  or  80  tons  at  most,  to  fetch  furs,  which  is  all  their 
trade,"  and  have  factors  trading  with  the  savages  ; 
"  but  he  cannot  learn  that  any  colony  is  as  yet  planted 
there,  or  intended  to  be."  He,  however,  held  an 
interview  with  the  States,  and  presented  a  memorial 
dated  Feb.  9th,  of  the  subject  of  which  they  pre 
tended  to  be  ignorant,  but  promised  on  the  16th  of 
March  to  write  for  information  "  to  the  participants 
of  the  trade  in  New  Netherlands."1  There  is  at  pre 
sent  no  written  evidence  of  the  result  of  this  remon 
strance  to  the  Dutch,  though  a  reply  to  it  is  inform 
ally  referred  to  many  years  later.  From  this,  as  well 
as  other  evidence,  it  will  be  seen  from  the  first,  the 
right  of  the  Dutch  to  the  territories  of  New  York, 
New  Jersey  and  Delaware  (which  they  claimed  under 
the  name  of  New  Netherlands)  was  disputed  by  the 
English.  It  was  never  acknowledged,  but  constantly 
denied  until  their  expulsion  in  1664. 

^e  West  India  Company  having  made 
arrangements  to  fulfill  the  objects  of  its  char 
ter,  viz.  :  to  trade  with  the  natives  and  settle  the 
country,  fitted  out  a  vessel  called  the  New  Nether 
lands,  and  appointed  Captain  Mey  (from  whom  Cape 
May  was  named)  and  Adriaen  Joriez  Tienpont  to  be 

1  O'Callagan.   London  Docs. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  Ill 

directors  of  the  expedition.  Colonists,  stores,  provi 
sions,  and  everything  necessary  were  placed  on  board 
the  vessels,  and  Mey  and  his  companions  took  their 
departure  for  the  Delaware,  but  which  they  called 
Zuydt  or  South,  and  also  Prince  Hendrick's  River. 
They  arrived  safely  and  ascending  the  river  for  about 
fifteen  leagues,  immediately  commenced  the  erection 
of  a  fort,  which  they  named  Fort  Nassau.  This  was 
the  first  known  building  erected  by  civilized  man  on 
the  banks  of  the  Delaware.  It  was  supposed  to  have 
been  situated  on  the  most  northerly  branch  of  Timber 
Creek,  in  New  Jersey,  not  far  from  where  the  town 
of  Gloucester  now  stands,  a  short  distance  below 
Philadelphia.  On  the  map  in  Campanius'1  work  it 
is  placed  between  the  two  branches  of  Timber  Creek. 
But  although  the  site  is  not  certainly  known,  there  is 
proof  enough  to  show  that  it  was  within  a  short  dis 
tance  of  Gloucester  Point.  We  have  no  information 
as  to  how  long  Mey  staid,  or  when  he  took  his  depar 
ture.  It  is  supposed  that  he  remained  for  some  time, 
and  carried  on  a  trade  with  the  natives  for  skins  and 
furs,  and  that  when  he  left  he  bore  with  him  their 
affection  and  esteem.  This,  however,  is  all  conjec 
ture.  Fort  Nassau,  after  his  departure,  it  is  said  by 
some  writers,  was  abandoned,  and  the  savages  took 
possession  of  it.  This  was  the  case  in  1633,  when 
it  was  visited  by  De  Vries,  (who  was  the  first  that 
made  an  attempt  at  settlement  within  the  limits  of 
the  State  of  Delaware,)  and  that  it  was  then  in  the 
possession  of  a  few  savages,  who  wanted  to  barter 

1  The  History  of  the  Swedish  Settlements  on  the  Delaware. 


112  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

furs.1  But  it  must  have  been  occupied  the  same  year, 
as  there  are  accounts  of  Arens  Corson,  a  commissary, 
and  a  clerk  residing  there,  who  made  purchases  on  the 
Schuylkill  for  the  erection  of  another  fort.  As  Van 
Twiller  became  Governor  of  New  Amsterdam  (now 
New  York)  this  year,  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
hearing  of  its  decayed  condition,  that  he  had  it  put 
in  repair.  In  1635  the  English  made  an  unsuccessful 
attack  upon  the  fort. 

rifi941  Peter  Minuit2  or  Minewa  arrived  at  New 
Amsterdam  as  Director  of  New  Netherlands. 
He  became  afterwards  the  Governor  of  Delaware. 
He  generally  receives  the  credit  as  being  the  first 
who  ruled  in  the  State,  and  his  name  is  always  placed 
in  all  publications  first  on  the  list  of  our  chief  magis 
trates.  But  Giles  Osset,  who  administered  the  affairs 
of  the  Dutch  Colony,  massacred  at  Lewistown,  was 
really  our  first  Governor.  Minuit,  however,  was  the 
originator  of  the  first  permanent  settlement  both  in 
our  State,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  river  and  bay, 
from  which  it  derives  its  name. 

The  same  year  William  Usselincx,  a  merchant  of 
Antwerp,  the  original  projector  of  the  Dutch  West 
India  Company,  presented  a  plan  to  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus,  King  of  Sweden,  for  the  formation  of  a  Swedish 
West  India  Company,  from  which  plan  originated  the 
settlement  of  the  present  State  of  Delaware.  Usse 
lincx,  for  some  reason,  became  dissatified  with  the 
Dutch  West  India  Company,  of  which  he  had  for  a 
long  time  been  a  director.  He  accordingly  visited  Stock- 

1  De  Vries.  2  O'Callaghan. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  113 

holm,  and  proposed  to  the  renowned  Gustavus  Adol 
phus,  then  the  champion  of  the  protestant  interest  in 
Europe,  a  plan  for  the  organization  of  a  trading  com 
pany  to  extend  its  operations  to  Asia,  Africa  and 
America.  Usselincx,  in  a  written  description,  gave  a 
glowing  account  of  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
this  enterprise.  In  eloquent  terms  he  represented 
such  an  establishment  would  be  the  means  of  planting 
among  the  heathens  the  Christian  religion.  That  by 
it  his  Majesty's  dominions  would  be  greatly  extended, 
his  treasury  enriched,  his  people's  burdens  at  home 
diminished,  and  the  nation  not  only  relieved,  but 
made  prosperous  by  the  establishment  of  a  lucrative 
trade.  The  eloquent  description  of  Usselincx  had 
the  desired  effect.  A  company  called  the  i-i^p-i 
Swedish  West  India  Company  was  formed 
and  a  charter  granted  them  by  Gustavus  Adolphus. 
It  was  dated  Stockholm,  June  14,  1626,  (old  style). 
The  following  were  its  principal  features. 

Gustavus  Adolphus  (the  King  of  Sweden)  in 
granting  it  says  : 

"  Finding  it  serviceable  and  necessary  to  the  wel 
fare  and  improvement  of  our  kingdom  and  subjects 
that  trade,  produce  and  commerce  should  grow  within 
our  kingdom  and  dominions,  and  be  furthered  by  all 
proper  means,  and  having  received  of  credible  and 
experienced  persons  good  information  that  in  Africa, 
Asia,  America  and  Magellanica,  or  Terra  Australis, 
very  rich  lands  and  islands  do  exist,  certain  of  which 
are  peopled  by  a  well  governed  nation,  certain  others 
by  heathens  and  wild  men,  and  others  still  unin- 


114  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

habited ;  and  others  not  as  yet  perfectly  discovered, 
and  that  not  only  with  such  places  a  great  trade  may 
be  driven,  but  that  the  hope  strengthens  of  bring 
ing  said  people  easily,  through  the  setting  on  foot 
commercial  intercourse,  to  a  better  civil  state,  and  to 
the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion,"  concluded  "  for 
the  spread  of  the  holy  gospel  and  the  prosperity  of 
our  subjects,"  to  erect  "a  general  company"  or  "united 
power  of  proprietors  of  our  own  realm,  and  such 
others  as  shall  associate  themselves  with  them,  and 
help  forward  the  work  ;  promising  to  strengthen  it  with 
our  succor  and  assistance,  providing  for,  and  founding 
it  with  the  following  privileges  :" 

The  exclusive  right  for  twelve  years  to  trade  beyond 
the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  southward  in  the  lands  of 
Africa,  and  in  America  and  Magellanica,  or  Terra 
Australia,  reaching  the  coast  of  America  at  the  like 
latitude  as  said  straits,  viz.,  36° ;  also,  with  all  lands 
and  islands  between  Africa  and  America  in  same  lati 
tude.  The  vessels  and  goods  of  others  than  the  com 
pany,  who  infringe  those  rights,  to  be  confiscated. 
The  government  vessels  of  war,  because  not  traders, 
to  be  exempted. 

The  company  to  be  considered  as  commencing  May 
1,  1627,  to  continue  for  twelve  years,  during  which 
none  of  the  company  have  the  power  to  withdraw 
the  funds  embarked  in  it,  and  no  new  members  to  be 
during  that  time  admitted.  If  at  the  end  of  twelve 
years  the  company  wish  the  term  extended,  it  may 
be  granted  at  the  pleasure  of  the  king. 

Accounts  are  to  be  settled  every  year,  at  which 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  115 

every  person  interested  1,000  scudis  or  thalers  may  be 
present.  Every  six  years  there  shall  be  a  final  esti 
mate  of  all  accounts,  and  a  new  account  begun.  If 
then  it  appears  to  the  majority  of  the  stockholders 
that  the  profits  or  usefulness  of  the  company  do  not 
justify  its  continuance,  it  may  be  dissolved. 

Residents  or  landholders  in  Sweden  may  become 
members  until  the  1st  of  March,  and  those  beyond 
the  sea  until  the  1st  of  May  next,  after  which  none 
can  enter  the  company  either  for  small  or  large  sums. 
The  money  to  be  paid  in  instalments,  one-fourth  on 
subscribing,  and  the  remainder  in  three  annual  pay 
ments. 

After  the  time  for  subscription  shall  expire,  there 
shall  be  an  election  for  regents  or  directors,  in  pro 
portion  to  one  for  every  100,000  thalers  subscribed. 
If,  however,  the  subscribers  of  100,000  thalers  wishes 
it  represented  by  two  directors,  it  may  be  so,  but  the 
two  only  to  receive  the  salary  of  one. 

The  directors  to  be  chosen  by  a  majority  of  the 
votes  of  stockholders,  none  to  vote  unless  owning 
1,000  thalers,  and  none  to  be  a  director  who  does  not 
hold  2,000  thalers,  and  which  sum  while  a  manager, 
he  cannot  divest  himself  of. 

The  directors  first  chosen  to  continue  in  office  for 
six  years ;  after  this,  two-thirds  to  be  newly  elected, 
and  one-third  to  be  taken  from  the  largest  stock 
holders  ;  this  to  be  observed  every  two  years  until 
the  expiration  of  the  charter. 

All  countries,  cities,  and  individuals  who  bring 
100,000  ihalers  shall  be  entitled  to  appoint  a  director, 


116  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

and  for  this,  all  nations  who  have  signed  the  agree 
ment  and  transmitted  the  funds  to  some  person  in 
whom  they  may  confide,  and  each  individual  subscri 
bing  shall  declare  the  nation  to  whom  he  wishes  to 
belong,  and  place  his  money. 

Foreigners  who  decide  to  reside  in  Sweden,  and 
contribute  25,000  thalers,1  to  enjoy  the  same  privi 
leges  as  citizens,  and  be  free  from  every  tribute,  and 
as  they  carry  on  no  trade,  may  depart  at  pleasure. 

The  directors  to  be  all  equal  in  power  and  autho 
rity,  take  oath  of  fidelity,  administer  justice  without 
fear  or  affection,  not  deal  in  merchandise  or  own 
vessels. 

They  are  to  have  a  salary  of  1,000  thalers  per 
annum.  In  case  of  traveling  for  the  company,  be 
sides  their  carriage,  they  shall  receive  six  Swedish 
marks  per  day.  The  secretary  and  other  servants  to 
be  paid  out  of  the  funds  of  the  company ;  the  direc 
tors  of  each  chamber  to  be  responsible  for  them. 

If  any  damage  result  to  the  company  from  any  of 
the  directors,  it  shall  attach  to  the  chamber  to  which 
he  belongs,  and  be  refunded  out  of  the  funds  contri 
buted  by  it  to  the  company. 

Neither  the  directors  nor  their  goods  shall  be  liable 
for  the  company's  debts. 

All  funds  invested  in  the  company  shall  be  free 
from  confiscation,  even  in  the  event  of  war  of  the 
King  of  Sweden  with  the  nation  of  which  the  sub 
scribers  are  a  part. 

Cities  convenient  for  navigation,  whose  merchants 

1  About  74  cents. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  117 

contribute  30,000  thalers  or  scudi,  shall  constitute  a 
chamber,  or  different  cities  or  countries  may  unite 
their  funds  and  agree  upon  the  location  of  the  cham 
ber  convenient  to  the  company. 

The  company's  vessels  about  departing  from  the 
different  ports  shall  unite  in  a  fleet  at  Gottenberg, 
and  take  their  departure  from  thence,  and  at  the  end 
of  the  voyage  return  thither  with  their  cargoes,  which 
shall  be  unloaded,  and  thence  transported,  wind  and 
weather  permitting,  without  injury  to  the  company. 

If  one  chamber  has  goods,  which  another  requires, 
they  shall  be  furnished,  so  as  to  keep  up  a  similar 
assortment  in  each. 

There  shall  be  one  or  more  superintendents,  who 
shall  examine  the  accounts  closely  and  consult  with 
the  directors  on  important  matters  connected  with  the 
interests  of  the  company,  and  in  elections  of  superin 
tendents,  captains,  &c.,  required,  stockholders  shall  be 
preferred,  if  equally  capable. 

Superintendents  may  be  removed  from  one  chamber 
to  another,  and  every  chamber  shall  have  a  represen 
tative  at  Gottenberg,  and  be  informed  within  two 
months  after  the  sailing  of  the  vessels  of  the  matters 
connected  with  the  voyages,  and  every  three  months 
furnished  with  an  account  of  goods  sold. 

When  necessary  there  shall  be  held  a  diet  or  meeting 
of  all  the  chambers,  to  take  place  alternately,  at  dif 
ferent  chambers,  in  the  order  of  the  largest  subscrip 
tions,  the  object  being  to  discuss  all  the  general  in 
terests  of  the  company,  voyages,  freights,  prices,  &c. 

To  each  diet,  twelve  managers  shall  be  sent  from 


118  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

each  chamber,  and  the  government  to  be  entitled  to 
one  vote,  making  thirteen,  or  casting  vote ;  every 
chamber  having  a  vote  in  proportion  to  its  furnished 
capital ;  a  chamber  furnishing  half  has  six  votes,  one 
third  four  votes,  and  a  majority  to  decide. 

On  all  imports  or  exports  to  or  from  Sweden,  a 
duty  to  be  paid  of  four  florins  per  cent.,  which  pay 
ment  entitles  them  to  be  transported  freely  thereafter 
through  the  whole  kingdom. 

The  company  to  be  under  the  royal  protection,  in 
the  free  exercise  of  its  trade,  the  use  of  its  vessels, 
and  defence  against  all  attempts  to  injure  it  in  war  or 
in  peace. 

The  government  to  furnish  vessels  of  war,  forts, 
soldiers,  guns,  &c.,  at  its  own  expense.  All  vessels, 
&c.,  taken  by  the  company  from  pirates,  &c.,  shall  be 
for  the  company's  benefit,  except  where  they  are 
assisted  by  the  government  vessels,  in  which  cases 
the  prizes  to  be  divided  equally. 

The  government  not  to  use  the  vessels  of  the  com 
pany,  nor  their  funds  or  merchandise,  even  in  war, 
without  its  consent. 

The  company  shall  be  entirely  at  liberty,  within 
the  aforesaid  limits,  to  make  treaties  with  foreign 
chiefs  or  people  in  their  own  name ;  to  build  cities, 
castles,  fortresses  ;  occupy  desolate  places,  and  make 
them  habitable ;  operate  and  procure  what  they  can, 
of  use  to,  and  for  the  convenience  of  the  company ; 
but  not  to  commit  violent  hostilities  against  the  inhabi 
tants  of  the  country,  nor,  unless  so  tempted,  do  any 
other  thing  against  the  subjects  of  the  King  of  Spain, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  119 

nor  exercise  commerce  in  places  with  their  subjects 
without  their  express  license,  under  pain  of  penalties 
against  transgressors  of  the  King's  orders  and  dis 
turbers  of  the  public  peace. 

In  case  of  ill  treatment  in  the  use  of  its  trade,  or 
by  force  or  fraud,  the  company  is  at  full  liberty  to 
avenge  itself  on  its  enemies  as  against  pirates  and 
robbers,  &c. 

In  order  to  manifest  the  desire  of  the  government 
to  aid  and  improve  the  company,  it  will  contribute 
and  put  at  equal  risk  with  others,  400,000  Swedish 
dollars. 

The  government,  besides  the  four  florin  per  cent, 
duty,  will  receive  one  fifth  of  ores,  silver  and  other 
minerals,  which  may  be  transported  from  the  mines, 
and  one  tenth  of  the  fruits  of  the  country,  in  recom 
pense  for  its  aid,  privileges,  &c.,  granted.  The  mer 
chandise,  and  metals  received  from  merchandise,  to 
be  exempted  and  remain  for  the  country.  aAnd, 
whereas,  William  Usselincx,  of  Brabant,  Antwerp, 
has  spent  much  time  of  his  life  in  seeking  out 
said  ports,  and  by  the  testimony  of  the  State  of 
Flanders,  and  Maurice,  Prince  of  Orange,  he  is  stated 
as  the  chief  inventor  in  Holland  of  the  West  India 
Company,  and  by  him,  its  administration  has  been 
much  aided,  and  having  already  resolved  to  establish 
in  Sweden,  hits  promised  faithfully  to  exert  himself; 
therefore,  to  recompense  him,  the  Company  are  to  pay 
him  one  florin  per  1000,  of  the  merchandise  which 
the  company  shall  import  or  export  during  its  traffic 
within  the  limits  of  its  charter. " 


120  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

The  company  to  constitute  a  council,  which,  with 
its  officers,  shall  attend  to  the  administration  of  justice, 
preservation  of  good  laws,  continuation  of  war;  ap 
point  soldiers,  governors,  directors  and  judges ;  build 
castles  and  cities ;  accommodate  differences  between 
the  citizens  of  the  country  and  the  natives,  as  well 
as  between  directors  or  chambers,  and  finally  preserve 
everything  in  good  condition,  and  under  good  order. 

This  council  must  consist  of  the  chief  stockholders, 
and  attend  to  the  business  and  consignments  on  com 
mission  and  others,  furnish  information  of  the  ships 
and  advices  received,  and  decide  on  operations.  The 
number  of  council  to  be  determined  by  circumstances 
and  the  judgment  of  the  company. 

If  any  chief  community,  city,  or  company,  con 
tribute  500,000  to  the  company,  it  may  appoint  an 
agent  with  full  powers  to  negotiate  about  things  neces 
sary  to  be  done. 

If  the  company  requires  alterations  in  the  condi 
tions  and  of  the  charter,  not  contrary  to  the  laws 
and  welfare  of  the  republic,  they  may  be  conceded 
to  it.1 

The  eloquent  description  of  Usselincx,  and  the 
granting  of  the  charter,  created  a  perfect  furore 
amongst  all  ranks  in  Sweden.  The  historian  of  the 

1  Hazard's  Annals.  It  was  translated  for  this  work  from,  "  A  urgu- 
nautica  Gustaviana,"  printed  in  Frankford,  1633,  a  very  rare  work, 
the  only  copy  known  to  be  in  this  country  is  in  the  valuable  library  of 
Harvard  College,  to  whose  librarian  Hazzard  was  indebted  for  the  use 
of  the  work.  It  is  in  the  German  language.  The  charter  is  also  to 
be  found  in  the  Italian  language,  in  the  fourth  edition  of  Harte's  Life 
of  Gustavus  Adolphus. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  121 

life  of  Gustavus1  says,  "  It  is  not  to  be  described,  how 
much  all  these  new  schemes  delighted  the  Senators, 
particularly  that  relative  to  the  establishment  of  the 
West  Indies  (as  America  was  then  called),  to  which 
all  people  subscribed  readily  and  generously,  in  con 
formity  to  the  example  set  them  by  the  king." 
Another  writer2  says  that  the  plan  was  supported  by 
the  king's  mother,  by  Jno.  Cassimer,  Prince  Palatine 
of  the  Rhine,  who  had  married  the  king's  sister,  by 
the  members  of  his  majesty's  councils,  by  the  prin 
cipal  nobles,  general  officers,  bishops,  clergy,  burgo 
masters,  councillors  of  cities,  and  the  greatest  part  of 
the  common  ility,  and  that  a  time  was  appointed  for 
bringing  in  the  amount  subscribed  in  Sweden  proper, 
in  Finland,  Sivonia,  and  elsewhere.  The  "ships  and 
all  necessaries  were  provided ;  an  admiral,  vice-ad 
miral,  officers  and  troops,  commissaries,  and  mer 
chants,  and  assistants  were  appointed.  The  work 
was  ripe  for  execution,  when  the  German  war,  and 
afterward  the  king's  death  prevented  it,  and  rendered 
the  fair  prospect  fruitless."  Others  assert,  that  a 
squadron  was  fitted  out  and  sailed  for  America,3  but 
this  is  not  well  authenticated.  Campanius  asserts 
that  "the  designs  of  Gustavus  could  not  be  carried 
into  full  effect,  because  he  was  engaged  in  a  war  with 
six  powerful  enemies,  and  because  the  ships  for  that 
purpose  ivere  stopped  and  detained  b?/  the  Spaniards  in 
their  voyage  (to  America),  which  zvas  done  in  order  to 
favor  the  Poles  and  emperor  of  Germany r,  then  engaged 

1  Harte.  2  Campanius. 

3  Campanius  and  Ilarte,  Life  of  Gustavus  Adolphus. 


122  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

in  a  war  against  us."  But  documentary  evidence 
shows  great  doubt  on  this.  Campanius  was  an  unre 
liable  writer.  And  the  received  opinion  amongst  his 
torians  is,  that  no  attempt  was  at  that  time  made  by 
the  Swedes  to  settle  America.  But,  that  the  purpose 
then  formed,  was  afterwards  carried  into  effect,  some 
twelve  years  later,  viz.,  in  1638,  when  the  first  per 
manent  settlement  on  the  Delaware  was  formed  within 
the  present  limits  of  the  city  of  Wilmington.  The 
archives  at  Stockholm  showed  that  preparations  were 
at  that  time  made  to  settle  this  country,  but  did  not 
record  the  failure,  and  hence,  the  error  of  many  early 
historians,  in  their  relation  of  the  early  settlements 
on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware.  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
to  whom,  in  no  small  degree  is  owing  the  first  settle 
ment  of  the  State,  was  afterward  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Lutzen,  in  the  year  1632.  The  expedition  that 
finally  did  make  permanent  lodgment  in  Dalaware, 
did  not  sail  until  five  years  afterwards,  in  the  reign 
of  his  daughter  Christina,  who  was  born  the  9th  day 
of  December  (0.  S.),  or  about  six  months  after  the 
grant  of  the  charter,  for  the  settlement  on  the  banks 
of  the  Creek,  which  long  bore  her  name,  but  which 
was  afterward  corrupted  into  Christiana. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

FROM  1629  TO  1633. 

Delaware  a  part  of  the  Dutch  Colony  of  New  Netherlands — Charter 
of  the  Assembly  of  XIX  to  settle  New  Netherlands — Features  of 
the  Charter  Grant  to  Herr  Samuel  Godyn  of  lands  in  South  (Dela 
ware)  River — First  Land  Grant  in  Delaware — Sale  of  land  by 
the  Indians,  to  Godyn  and  Blommaert — First  deed  in  Delaware — 
Godyn  and  Blommaert  form  a  partnership  to  settle  this  State — 
Peterson  De  Vries — Sailing  of  a  Colony  from  Holland  for  Dela 
ware  under  De  Vries — They  settle  at  Hoornkill  (Lewistown) — 
They  build  Fort  Oplandt— Name  the  place  Swanendale — De  Vries 
leaves  for  Holland — Delaware  Bay  called  Godyn's  Bay — Massa 
cre  of  the  Settlers  by  the  Indians — Arrival  of  De  Vries  in  the 
Delaware — Interview  with  the  Indians — Their  account  of  the 
Massacre — Asserted  relinquishment  of  the  Delaware  by  the  Eng 
lish  to  the  Swedish  Ambassador — Governor  Minuit  recalled  to 
Holland — Grant  to  Lord  Baltimore — His  death — Death  of  Gus- 
tavus  Adolphus,  through  whose  influence  Delaware  was  first 
settled. 

FOR  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  settle-  rig 99-1 
ment  of  what  the  Dutch  called  New  Nether 
lands,  then  consisting  (according  to  the  Dutch  claim) 
of  the  present  State  of  Delaware,  New  Jersey,  New 
York  and  part  of  Connecticut ;  the  Assembly  of  XIX, 
on  the  Tth  of  June,  granted  a  charter  of  "  Freedoms 
and  Exemptions,  to  all  such  as  shall  plant  colonies  in 
New  Netherlands."  This  gave  the  privilege  to  mem 
bers  of  the  company  to  send  to  New  Netherlands  in 
the  company's  ships,  on  certain  terms,  three  or  four 
persons  to  view  the  country,  for  the  purpose  of  select- 


124  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

ing  lands.  Those,  who  after  four  years  notice  to  the 
company,  planted  a  colony  of  fifty  souls,  over  fifteen 
years  of  age,  were  to  be  entitled  to  the  dignity  of 
being  made  patroons.  They  were  allowed  to  have 
the  privilege  of  selecting  lands  for  four  Dutch  miles 
(about  sixteen  English)  along  the  shore  on  one  side 
of  any  navigable  river,  and  as  far  into  the  interior  of 
the  country  as  their  situation  would  permit.  If  they 
selected  their  lands  on  both  sides  of  a  navigable  river, 
they  had  only  two  Dutch  or  eight  English  miles  in 
length.  The  company  reserved  the  right  to  the  land 
between  the  limits  of  the  colonies  to  themselves, 
under  the  general  rule,  that  no  person  should  be 
allowed  to  come  within  thirty-two  English  miles  of 
them  without  their  consent.  The  jurisdiction  of  the 
river  was  reserved  to  the  States  General  or  Company. 
The  patroons  were  to  enjoy  and  possess  over  the 
lands  within  their  limits,  fruits,  rights,  minerals, 
rivers,  and  fountains ;  have  "  chief  command  and 
lower  jurisdiction,"  fishing,  fowling,  and  grinding,  ex 
clusively.  They  had  also  the  privilege  of  found 
ing  cities,  appointing  officers  and  magistrates,  be 
sides  other  powers  and  privileges.1  It  was,  in 
fact,  transplanting  the  feudal  system  of  Europe  to 
the  shores  of  America.  Under  this  grant,  "  The  Herr 
Samuel  Godyn  (a  merchant  of  Amsterdam),  and 
Samuel  Blommaert,  on  the  19th  of  June,  obtained 
a  grant  of  land  on  the  west  side  of  South  River  Bay, 
extending  from  Cape  Henlopen  inland  thirty-two 
miles,  and  two  miles  in  breadth.  They  had  pre- 

1  O'Callighan,  N.  Y.  Documents. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  125 

viously  sent  persons  to  examine  it,  and  purchased  it 
from  the  Indians.  This  was  the  first  grant  of  land 
made  to  any  European  in  the  State  of  Delaware,  or 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  and  bay  of  that  name.  An 
Indian  village  then  stood  somewhere  in  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Lewistown,  possibly  on  the  ground  on  which 
that  town  now  stands.  Moulton  speaking  of  this  pur 
chase  says,  "  One  of  three  ships  sent  over  by  the  de 
partment  of  the  West  India  Company,  this  year  (1629), 
visited  the  Indian  village  on  the  Southwest  corner  of 
Newport,  May,  or  Delaware  Bay,  and  that  the  pur 
chase  was  then  made  from  Cape  Hindlop  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river."  What  river  we  are  left  to  infer.  But 
as  in  the  deed  (in  Moulton)  speaks  of  the  extent  of 
the  grant  being  eight  large  miles,  and  as  the  Dutch 
mile  measures  in  length  that  of  four  English  miles, 
therefore  the  extent  of  the  Indian  grant  to  the  Dutch 
would  be  thirty-two  English  miles  along  the  coast  of 
our  State  from  Cape  Henlopen  northwards. 

The  river  alluded  to  therefore,  must  either  be 
Jones'  or  Murderkill  Creeks,  or  Mahon  River.  It  is 
more  than  probable  the  latter.  For  as  the  Dutch 
(judging  from  the  usual  course  of  the  dealings  of 
the  white  man  writh  the  Indian)  would  be  more  apt 
to  over  than  under  measure  their  purchase,  we  may 
safely  judge  that  the  Mahon,  which  is  over  thirty- 
eight  English  miles  as  the  crow  flies,  from  Cape  Hen 
lopen,  would  be  more  likely  to  be  the  one  alluded  to, 
than  the  Jones  or  Murderkill,  which  are  hardly  twenty- 
six  miles. 

This  grant  therefore,  comprised  nearly  the  whole 


126  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

bay  front  of  Kent  and  Sussex  counties.  The  deeds 
of  this  land  has  been  happily  preserved  in  the  New 
York  State  Library,  and  as  it  is  the  first  deed  ever 
given  for  land  in  Delaware,  or  on  the  banks  of  the 
Delaware  we  have  published  it  entire.  It  is  as 
follows : 

"We,  the  Directors  and  Council  of  New  Netherlands, 
residing  on  the  Island  of  Manhattan  and  in  Fort  Amster 
dam,  under  the  authority  of  their  High  Mightinesses 
the  Lord's  State  General  of  the  United  Netherlands, 
and  of  the  Incorporated  West  India  Company  Chamber 
at  Amsterdam,  hereby  acknowledge  and  declare,  that 
on  this  day,  the  date  underwritten,  came  and  appeared 
before  us  in  their  proper  persons,  Queskacous  and 
Entquet,  Siconesius  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  vil 
lage,  situate  at  the  South  Cape  of  the  bay  of  South 
River,  and  freely  and  voluntarily  declared  by  special 
authority  of  the  rulers,  and  consent  of  the  common 
ality  there,  that  they  already  on  the  first  day  of  June, 
of  the  past  year  1629,  for,  and  on  account  of  certain 
parcels  of  cargoes,  which  they  previous  to  the  passing 
hereof,  acknowledged  to  have  received  and  got  into 
their  hands  and  power,  to  their  full  satisfaction,  have 
transferred,  ceded,  given  over,  and  conveyed,  in  just, 
true,  and  free  property,  as  they  hereby  transport, 
cede,  give  over,  and  convey  to  and  for  the  behoof  of 
Messrs.  Samuel  Godyn  and  Samuel  Blommaert  ab 
sent;  and  for  whom,  We,  by  virtue  of  our  office  under 
proper  stipulation,  do  accept  the  same,  namely,  the 
land  to  them  belonging,  situate  on  the  south  side  of 
the  aforesaid  Bay,  by  us  called  the  Bay  of  the  South 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  127 

River,  extending  in  length  from  Cape  Hinloffin,  off 
into  the  mouth  of  the  aforesaid  South  River,  about 
eight  leagues  (groote  mylen),  and  half  a  league  in 
breadth  into  the  interior,  extending  to  a  certain  marsh 
(lieyte)  or  valley,  through  which  these  limits  can  clearly 
enough  be  distinguished.  And,  that  with  all  the  action, 
right,  and  jurisdiction,  to  them  in  the  aforesaid  quality 
therein  appertaining,  constituting  and  surrogating  the 
said  Messrs.  Grodyrig  and  Blommaert,  in  their  stead, 
state,  zeal,  and  actual  possession  thereof;  and  giving 
them  at  the  same  time,  full  and  irrevocable  authority, 
power,  and  special  command  to  hold  in  quiet  posses 
sion,  occupancy  and  use,  tanquam  Actores  et  Pro- 
curatores  in  rem  propriam  the  aforesaid  land,  acquired 
by  the  above  mentioned  Messrs.  Godyn  and  Blomm 
aert,  or  those  who  may  hereafter  obtain  their  interest ; 
also,  to  so  barter  and  dispose  thereof,  as  they  may  do 
with  their  own  well  and  lawfully  acquired  lands. 
Without  the  grantors  having  reserving  or  retaining 
for  the  future,  any  of  the  smallest  part,  action,  right, 
or  authority,  whether  of  property  command  or  juris 
diction  therein ;  but  now,  hereby  forever  and  a  day, 
desisting,  retiring  from  and  abandoning,  and  renounc 
ing  the  same,  for  the  behoof  aforesaid,  promising 
further,  not  only  to  observe,  fulfill,  and  hold  fast, 
steadfast  and  unbroken,  and  irrevocable,  that  their 
conveyance  and  whatever  may  be  done  in  virtue 
thereof,  but  also  the  said  parcel  of  land  to  maintain 
against  every  one,  and  to  deliver  free  of  controver 
sies,  gainsays,  and  contradictions,  by  whomsoever 
instituted  against  the  same.  All  in  good  faith,  with- 


128  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

out  guile,  and  deceit.  In  witness  this  confirmed  with 
our  usual  signatures,  and  with  our  seal  dependant 
therefrom.  Done  at  the  aforesaid  Island,  Manhattan, 
this  15th  July,  xvi.  and  thirty.1 

PETER  MINUIT,  Director, 
JACOB  ELBERTSON  WISSINK, 
JAN  JANSEN  BROUWER, 
SIMON  DIRCKSEN  Poo, 
REYNER  HARMENSEAR, 
JAN  LAMPE,  Sheriff" 

It  would  be  impossible  at  this  day,  to  find  out  the 
grant  by  these  landmarks,  which  the  deed  says, 
"  through  which  by  thes^  limits  can  clearly  enough  be 
distinguished"  The  valley  does  not  now  (if  it  ever 
did)  exist  in  Kent  county.  If  the  changes  in  the 
country  by  the  encroachments  of  the  bay  has  not  de 
stroyed  the  hills,  the  landmarks  the  deed  alludes  to, 
must  have  been  in  New  Castle  county.  The  term 
marsh  is  very  indefinite,  as  with  but  few  intervals  of 
fast  land  (such  as  at  Kett's  Hammock,  in  Dover  hun 
dred,  Bower's  Beach,  in  South  Murderkill  hundred, 
Kent  county,  and  Thorn  Point,  in  Cedar  Creek  hun 
dred,  Sussex  county),  the  whole  bay  coast  between 
Mahon  River  and  Le  wist  own,  is  marsh. 

1  A  photographed  copy  of  the  original  of  this  deed,  was  presented  to 
the  Historical  Society  of  Delaware,  by  General  Meredith  Reed.  This 
is  the  first  time  it  was  ever  published.  This  deed,  as  given  by  Moul- 
ton,  is  published  in  Hazard's  Annals,  page  23.  The  name,  however, 
of  Blommaert,  is  not  inserted  in  that  deed.  There  are  no  signatures 
to  it,  and  the  name  of  the  Indian  grantors  are  given  as  Queskakous, 
Esanques,  and  Sickonesgris. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  129 

After  the  grant  of  this  land  to  Godyn  and  Blom 
maert,  they  formed  a  partnership  with  several  others 
to  attempt  a  settlement,  also  with  a  view  of  engaging 
in  the  whale  fishery,  "  whales  being  plenty  in  those 
regions,  and  fish  oil  being  60  guilders  per  hogshead  " 
in  Holland.  Previous  to  forming  this  partnership, 
however,  he  met  with  David  Pieterszen  De  Vries,  of 
Hoorn,  a  port  in  North  Holland,  "a  bold  and  skilful 
seaman,  and  master  of  artillery  in  the  service  of  the 
United  Provinces."  He  had  about  two  months  pre 
viously  returned  from  the  East  Indies.  An  offer  of 
a  "  commander  ship  "  was  made  to  him  by  Godyn,  or 
Blommaert,  or  both,  and  employment  as  "  second 
patroon,"  such  as  granted  by  the  State,  and  by  the 
19th  Article  of  the  West  India  Company's  Charter. 
This  he  declined  to  accept,  unless  he  was  made  equal 
in  all  respects  to  the  others  as  patroon,  which,  being 
readily  agreed  to,  a  patroonship  was  formed  by  enter 
ing  into  formal  articles  of  association  on  the  16th  of 
October.  Those  who  composed  it  were  Samuel 
Godyn,  William  Van  Rensselaer,  Samuel  Blommaert, 
Jan  De  Laet,  and  De  Vries,  to  which  several  others 
were  afterwards  added.  Preparations  were  made 
immediately  for  the  expedition,  a  ship  and  yacht 
were  fitted  out,  thirty  colonists  placed  on  board,  with 
material  for  whaling  and  for  planting  tobacco  and 
grain,  and  thus  equipped,  on  the  12th  of  December, 
under  command  of  De  Vries,  they  sailed  from  the 
Texel,  to  make  the  first  attempt  at  settlement  in  the 
State  of  Delaware.1 

1  De  Tries,  N.  Y.  His.  Collection. 


130  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

When  De  Vries'  expedition  arrived  in  the 
-I  Delaware  is  not  certainly  known,  but  as  he 
sailed  in  December,  taking  the  usual  length  of  pas 
sages  at  that  time  as  a  criterion,  he  must  have  arrived 
in  the  Delaware  Bay  in  the  March  or  April  of  the  fol 
lowing  year.  After  passing  Cape  Cornelis,  he  entered 
a  deep  creek,  abounding  with  oysters,  which  he  named 
Hoornkill  or  Hoorkill,  probably  after  Hoorn,  the 
place  of  his  residence  in  Holland,  and  kill,  the  Dutch 
name  for  creek.  In  other  words,  Hoorn  Creek,  after 
wards  called  Whorekill.1  It  is  the  present  Lewes 
Creek  in  Sussex  county.  Here  he  erected  a  house, 
and  surrounded  it  with  palisades  instead  of  parapets 
and  breastworks,  which  served  the  purpose  of  both 
trade  and  defence.  He  named  it  Fort  Oplandt.  The 
weather  was  fine,  and  no  inconvenience  was  suf 
fered  from  it.  From  the  number  of  swans  which  he 
had  seen,  he  named  the  place  Swanen.dale,  or  "  Valley 
of  Swans."  De  Vries  sailed  some  time  in  the  course  of 
the  year  for  Holland,  leaving  the  colony  in  command 
of  Gillis  Hossett,  the  commissary  of  the  expedition. 
Either  before  or  after  the  departure  of  De  Vries,  a 
purchase  was  made  by  Gillis  Hossett  from  the  Indians, 
for  Godyn  and  Blommaert,  for  a  tract  of  land,  on  the 
east  side  of  Delaware  Bay,  or  Cape  May,  in  the 
present  State  of  New  Jersey.  Both  sides  of  the 

1  Several  writers  have  said  that  this  name  was  given  from  the  bad 
conduct  of  the  Indian  women.  But  there  is  no  just  reason  for  this 
statement.  The  Dutch  always  called  it  Hoornkill.  It  was  not  until 
after  the  arrival  of  the  English  that  it  was  called  Whorekill.  Until  the 
arrival  of  Penn,  Whorekill  was  the  name  given  to  the  whole  of  Sus 
sex  county. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  131 

river  were  now  named  Swanendale.  The  purchase 
was  made  on  board  the  "  Ship  Walrus,"  or  Whale, 
before  Peter  Heysen,  skipper,  and  Gillis  Hossett, 
commissary.  This  ship  Walrus  was  probably  the 
yacht  that  came  over  with  De  Vries  for  the  purpose 
of  whaling.  Hossett,  who  may  be  called  the  first 
governor  of  Dclaivare,  as  he  governed  the  colony  of 
Swanendale,  had  formerly  been  agent  for  the  pur 
chase  of  lands  around  Fort  Orange  (now  Albany, 
N.  Y.)  for  Van  Rensselaer.  The  bay  was  at  this 
time  called  Godyn's  Bay. 

Some  time  after  the  departure  of  De  Vries,  this 
unfortunate  colony  (the  first  settlers  of  our  State) 
were  all  massacred  by  the  Indians.  The  setttlers 
under  Mey  had  at  this  time  abandoned  Fort  Nassau, 
and  the  only  white  residents  on  the  Delaware  were 
the  colonists  at  Swanendale.  The  account,  as  learned 
by  De  Vries  on  his  second  visit,  was  as  follows  : 

The  Dutch,  according  to  their  custom,  had  erected 
a  pillar,  on  which  was  a  piece  of  tin,  on  which  was 
traced  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  United  Provinces.  One 
of  the  chiefs  wanted  to  make  it  into  tobacco  pipes, 
and  not  knowing  that  it  was  improper,  took  away  the 
tin,  which  gave  the  officers  in  command  much  dis 
satisfaction,  so  that  the  Indians  did  not  know  how  to 
make  amends.  They  went  away  and  killed  the 
chief  who  had  taken  the  tin,  and  brought  a  token  of 
it  to  those  who  commanded  at  the  house,  who  told 
them  that  they  had  done  wrong ;  that  they  ought  to 
have  come  with  him  to  the  house,  and  they  would 
have  told  him  not  to  do  so  any  more.  They  then 


132  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

left,  but  the  friends  of  the  murdered  man  resolved  to 
be  revenged.  They  attacked  the  Dutch  when  they 
were  working  in  the  field,  leaving  but  a  single  sick 
ma,n  in  the  house,  and  a  large  bull  dog,  which  was 
chained  out  of  doors.  The  man  who  had  command 
of  the  house  stood  near  the  door.  Three  of  the 
boldest  Indians  who  were  to  perpetrate  the  deed, 
came  and  oifered  him  a  parcel  of  beavers  to  barter, 
and  contrived  to  enter  the  house.  He  went  in  with 
them  to  transact  the  business ;  that  being  done,  he 
went  to  the  garret  where  the  stores  were.  Coming 
down,  one  of  the  Indians  cleaved  his  head  with  an 
axe,  so  that  he  dropped  dead  on  the  floor.  They 
then  murdered  the  sick  man,  and  then  went  to  the 
dog,  which  they  feared  most,  and  shot  at  least  twenty- 
five  arrows  at  him,  before  they  killed  him.  They 
then  went  in  a  treacherous  manner  to  the  people  in 
the  field,  approaching  them  with  the  appearance  of 
friendship,  and  murdered  one  after  another.  "  Thus," 
says  De  Vries,  "terminated  our  first  colony,  to  our 
great  loss."1  Thus  also  perished  the  first  white  in 
habitants  of  the  State  of  Delaware. 
r  De  Vries  by  some  means  had  heard  of  the 

destruction  of  his  colony  before  he  left  the 
Texel,  which  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year. 
The  news  had  more  than  probable  been  carried  by  the 
Walrus  (which  appears  to  have  been  an  appendage  to 
the  colony  for  the  purpose  of  whale  fishing)  or  some 
other  vessel,  to  New  Amsterdam,  and  from  there  to 
Holland.  Long  before  he  saw  the  land,  he  knew  he 

1  DC  Tries,  N.  Y.  His.  Soc.  Coll.,  vol.  1.  X.  S.,  p.  5l>. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  133 

was  near  the  coast,  "by  the  odor  of  the  under 
wood,  which  at  this  time  of  the  year  is  burned  by 
the  Indians,  in  order  to  be  less  hindered  in  their 
hunting."  On  the  third  of  December  he  saw  the 
entrance  of  the  bay,  on  the  5th  sailed  within  the  cape, 
having  a  whale  near  the  vessel,  and  on  the  6th  ran 
with  the  boat  up  the  Hoornkill,  having  first  put  them 
selves  in  a  proper  state  of  defence  in  case  of  a  hostile 
attack  from  the  Indians.  They  found  their  dwelling 
house  and  store  had  been  burnt  to  the  ground,  and 
their  fortification  utterly  destroyed.  The  ground  was 
bestrewed  with  the  heads  and  bones  of  the  murdered 
men,  but  he  saw  no  Indians.  Supposing  that  they 
might  be  attracted  by  the  sound  of  a  gun,  he  went  on 
board  the  vessel  and  ordered  the  guns  to  be  fired. 
On  the  7th  the  Indians  appeared  near  the  destroyed 
house;  afraid  to  approach,  they  wished  the  people 
from  the  vessel  to  come  on  shore,  which"  De  Vries 
resolved  to  do  next  day,  in  the  yacht,  that  he  might 
"  have  a  shelter  from  their  arrows."  Accordingly  he 
went  in  the  yacht  up  the  creek  to  the  house.  The 
Indians  were  on  the  shore,  but  at  first  they  would 
not  go  on  board ;  at  last,  however,  one  entered  the 
vessel.  De  Vries  gave  him  a  cloth  dress,  and  told 
him  he  desired  to  make  peace  with  them.  Others 
then  went  on  board,  expecting  also  a  dress,  but  he 
gave  them  only  trinkets,  adding  that  the  dress  was 
given  to  the  first  as  a  reward  for  his  confidence  in 
venturing  to  enter  the  boat.  They  were  desired  to 
come  on  board  with  their  chief,  called  Sakimas,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a  satisfactory  peace.  One 


134  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Indian,  however,  remained  on  board  all  night  in  the 
yacht,  and  from  him  De  Vries,  upon  inquiry,  received 
the  account  which  has  already  been  given  of  the 
murder  of  the  colonists.  On  the  9th  the  Indians, 
with  their  chief,  came.  They  sat  down  in  a  circle, 
and  concluded  peace.  Presents  were  made  them 
of  duffels,  bullets,  axes,  and  Nuremberg  trinkets, 
with  which  being  well  pleased,  and  with  promises  of 
reciprocal  benefits,  they  departed  joyfully,  no  ven 
geance  having  been  taken  for  the  previous  cruelties. 
De  Vries  now  made  preparations  for  the  fishery,  and 
for  boiling  oil,  by  forming  a  lodging  place  of  some 
boards. 

About  this  time  it  is  said  that  upon  the  application 
of  John  Oxensteirn,  the  Swedish  Ambassador,  King 
Charles  I.  relinquished  to  the  Swedes  all  claims  to 
to  this  part  of  the  country  by  reason  of  discovery. 
There  is  -no  documentary  evidence  to  support  this 
agreement.  Acrelius  refers  to  this  circumstance, 
but  places  it  at  a  later  period.1 

During  this  year  Director  Minuit,  who  afterwards 
commenced  the  settlement  at  Fort  Christina,  and  was 
the  first  governor  of  Delaware  after  its  permanent 
settlement,  (or  by  any  portion  of  the  ancestors  of  the 
present  people  of  this  State,)  was  recalled  to  Holland. 
He  embarked  from  New  Amsterdam  in  the  spring. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  0.  S.,  Cecilius,  Lord  Baltimore 
received  the  grant  for  the  present  State  of  Maryland. 
His  intention  was  to  settle  in  Virginia,  but  being  a 
Catholic,  and  finding  himself  uncomfortable  on  account 

1  Hazard's  Annals, 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  135 

of  his  religion,  he  departed  for  England,  and  obtained 
a  patent  for  the  land  between  that  of  the  North  and 
South  Virginia  companies.  There  he  died  before  his 
return.  The  next  year  his  son  had  his  patent  con 
firmed  to  himself.  The  terms  of  his  grant  included 
not  only  the  present  State  of  Maryland,  but  the  whole 
of  Delaware,  and  that  part  of  the  State  of  Pennsyl 
vania  from  the  Delaware  line  a  short  distance  north 
of  Philadelphia,  including  in  its  limits  the  present 
city  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  great  proportion  of  the 
counties  of  Chester,  Delaware,  Lancaster,  York, 
Adams,  Franklin,  Fulton,  Bedford,  and  Somerset. 
The  following  description  will  show  the  extent 
of  the  grant  :l 

"  By  letters  patent  of  this  date  reciting  the  petition 
of  Cecilius,  Lord  Baltimore,  for  a  certain  country  there 
inafter  described,  not  then  cultivated  and  planted, 
though  in  some  parts  thereof  inhabited  by  a  certain  bar 
barous  people,  having  no  knowledge  of  Almighty  God, 
his  majesty  granted  to  said  Lord  Baltimore  all  that 
part  of  a  peninsula  lying  in  the  parts  of  America 
between  the  ocean  on  the  east  and  the  bay  of  Chesa 
peake  on  the  west,  and  divided  from  the  other  part 
thereof  by  a  right  line  drawn  from  the  promontory  or 
cape  of  land  called  Watkins'  Point  (situate  in  the 
aforesaid  bay,  near  the  river  of  Highco)  on  the  west, 
unto  the  main  ocean  on  the  east,  and  between  that 
bound  on  the  south,  unto  the  part  of  Delaware  Bay 
on  the  north  which  lieth  under  the  40th  degree  of 
north  latitude,  from  the  equinoctial  where  New 

1  Beverly,  47,  48  ;  Barkes'  Virginia,  11,  39 ;  Bosnian's  Maryland. 


136  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

England  ends ;  and  all  that  tract  of  land  between  the 
bounds  aforesaid,  i.  e.  passing  from  the  aforesaid 
bay,  called  Delaware  Bay,  in  a  right  line  by  the 
degrees  aforesaid  promontory,  or  place  called  Wat- 
kins'  Point." 

This  grant  was  a  consequence  of  many  disputes, 
both  with  the  Dutch,  the  Duke  of  York,  and  Penn. 
Under  it  Baltimore  claimed  possession  of  Delaware. 
This  matter  will  be  found  treated  of  more  at  length 
in  another  portion  of  this  history. 

Gustavus  Adolphus  lost  his  life  at  the  battle  of 
Lutzen,  the  16th  of  October.  A  short  time  before 
his  death,  whilst  at  Nuremberg,  he  drew  up  a  scheme 
of  a  company,  which  was  ready  for  his  signature,  but 
which  was  prevented  by  his  death.  It  was  however 
the  next  year  submitted  to  the  people  by  his  chan 
cellor,  Oxensteirn.  It  was  in  a  great  degree  to  the 
exertion  of  this  renowned  prince  that  Delaware  owed 
her  first  permanent  settlement.1 

1  Statement  of  Penn's  cases,  by  Murray.  Reg.  Penn.,  vol.  2,  p.  204. 


CHAPTER   X. 

FROM  1G33  TO  1637. 

De  Tries  sails  up  the  Delaware  to  Fort  Xassau — He  is  -warned 
by  an  Indian  woman  of  treachery — Massacre  of  English  boat's 
crew — Indians  warned  to  go  on  shore — They  make  peace  with 
Do  Tries — De  Tries  sails  for  Virginia — Is  informed  the  English 
claim  South  Iliver — Is  told  the  murdered  boat's  crew  belonged 
to  Virginia — De  Tries  returns  to  South  Iliver — Bad  success  of 
whale  fishing — lie  returns  to  Europe — War  between  the  Timber 
Creek  Indians  and  the  Minquas — Publication  of  the  Charter  of 
the  Swedish  West  India  Company  by  Chancellor  Oxensteirn — 
Grant  to  Sir  Edward  Plowden  by  Charles  I. — Sale  of  the  colony 
of  Swanendale  to  the  Dutch  West  India  Company. 

DE  VRIES,  whom  we  made  mention  in  the 
previous  chapter  as  having  concluded  a  peace  "- 
with  the  Indians,  remained  some  time  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Lewes  Creek,  during  which  interval  it  is 
supposed  he  engaged  in  whale  fishing,  proceeded  in 
his  yacht  up  the  Delaware,  to  procure  beans  from  the 
Indians.  At  the  mouth  of  the  river  he  saw  a  whale. 
When  opposite  Fort  Nassau,  he  found  a  few  Indians 
disposed  to  barter  some  furs,  but  wanting  only  Indian 
corn,  and  having  disposed  of  most  of  his  articles  at 
Swanendale,  he  had  none  to  trade  for  furs.  The 
Indians  advised  him  to  proceed  to  Timmerkill  (now 
Timber  Creek).  But  he  was  prevented  by  the  kind 
interference  of  an  Indian  woman,  to  whom  he  had 
given  a  'cloth  dress  to  induce  her  to  communicate 


138  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

what  she  knew.  She  belonged  to  the  "  Sankitans." 
She  informed  De  Vries  that  they  had  murdered  the 
crew  of  an  English  boat  that  had  ascended  the  Count 
Earnest  (Delaware)  river  and  would  undoubtedly  attack 
them.  On  the  Gth,  he  weighed  and  stood  before  Tim- 
merkill  (Timber  Creek)  fully  prepared  for  the  Indians 
if  they  intended  to  harm  him.  They  soon  approached 
the  boat,  and  about  forty-two  or  forty-three  entered 
the  yacht.  Some  began  to  play  on  reeds,  so  as  to 
induce  no  suspicion  of  their  designs,  but,  being  only 
seven  in  number,  the  crew  were  upon  their  guard, 
and  when  De  Vries  thought  they  had  been  long 
enough  on  board,  he  ordered  them  ashore,  threaten 
ing  to  fire  if  they  refused  to  depart.  The  sachem 
offered  beavers  for  sale,  which  were  declined,  but  the 
Indians  were  again  ordered  on  shore,  and  given  to 
understand  that  Manito,  their  devil,  had  advised 
them  of  their  evil  designs.  They  then  went  on 
shore. 

These  Indians  were  said  to  be  "  Roodehoeks  or 
Mantes."  They  were  partly  dressed  in  English 
jackets,  which  created  suspicion,  and  confirmed  the 
story  of  the  Indian  woman.  On  the  8th,  De  Vries 
returned  to  his  position  before  the  fort,  which  was 
now  crowded  with  Indians,  and  their  numbers  in 
creasing.  A  canoe  with  nine  chiefs  from  different 
places  came  off,  amongst  them  the  man  who  had 
appeared  with  the  English  jacket,  which,  however, 
he  did  not  now  wear.  They  sat  down  in  a  circle,  and 
said  they  had  discovered  that  De  Vries'  people  were 
in  fear  of  them,  but  they  came  to  conclude  a  perma- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  139 

nent  peace,  and  presented  ten  beaver  skins,  with  a 
distinct  ceremony  with  each.  De  Vries,  upon  the 
receipt  of  each  article,  offered  some  presents,  such  as 
axes,  adzes,  or  small  knives,  &c.,  which  they  re 
fused,  saying  "  they  did  not  make  these  presents  to 
receive  others  in  return,  but  to  make  peace."  They 
replied,  "  these  must  be  given  them  on  shore."  De 
Vries,  on  the  9th  and  10th  obtained  from  them  in 
barter  some  Indian  corn  and  furs. 

De  Vries  failing  to  obtain  corn  in  the  South  (Dela 
ware)  River,  sailed  for  Virginia.  Upon  his  arrival 
there,  he  was  met  by  the  governor,  attended  by  some 
officers  and  soldiers,  who  crave  him  a  cordial  welcome. 

c_^ 

Upon  inquiring  from  whence  he  came,  and  being  in 
formed  from  South  River,  the  Governor  invited  him 
to  his  house,  and  treated  him  to  a  glass  of  wine.  He 
then  told  him  that  South  River  belonged  to  the 
British,  and  was  by  them  named  Delaware  Bay,  after 
Lord  Delaware,  who  some  years  ago  had  taken  pos 
session  of  it,  but  not  supposing  it  navigable  owing 
to  the  sand  banks,  he  did  not  ascend  the  river.  De 
Vries  informed  him  he  was  mistaken.  That  the 
Dutch  had  built  a  fort  there  many  years  ago,  called 
Nassau,  of  which  he  appeared  never  to  have  heard 
before,  and  that  it  was  a  fine  navigable  river.  The 
governor  spoke  of  a  small  vessel  that  he  had  sent, 
some  time  before,  to  the  Delaware,  which  had  not  re 
turned,  and  he  supposed  was  'lost.  De  Vries  then 
related  the  circumstance  mentioned  by  the  Indian 
woman  of  the  murder  of  an  English  boat's  crew,  and 
that  he  had  seen  an  Indian  wearing  an  English  jacket, 


140  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

which  he  had  concluded  belonged  to  his  boat's  crew, 
which  had  been  sent  there  to  make  discoveries.  The 
governor  gave  him  six  goats  for  his  new  colony ;  he 
then  purchased  some  provisions,  and  returned  to 
South  Bay.  He  there  learned  that  in  his  absence 
they  had  only  taken  seven  whales,  which  yielded 
32  cartels  of  oil.  Finding  that  the  fishing  here  was 
too  expensive  in  proportion  to  the  profit,  and  the  fish 
poor,  he  returned  to  Fort  Amsterdam,  and  from  there 
to  Europe."1 

The  Timber  Creek  Indians  at  this  time  were  at 
war  with  the  Minquas  on  the  Christiana.  The  name 
of  the  sachem  belonging  to  the  former  tribe  was  Zuee 
Pentor.2 

The  Chancellor  Oxensteirn,  on  the  10th  of  April, 
published  the  proclamation  which  had  been  left  un 
signed  by  Gustavus  Adolphus.  The  chancellor  also 
added  : 

"  Though  the  above  declaration  and  amplification 
of  the  before  mentioned  privileges  of  his  majesty  of 
glorious  memory  could  not  have  been  signed  on 
account  of  the  multifarious  and  incredible  affairs  of 
the  war,  I  cannot,  in  consequence  of  my  duty  and 
good  personal  knowledge,  but  certify  that  the  same 
has  been  the  highest  desire  and  wish  of  his  royal 
majesty ;  therefore  I,  by  the  crown  of  Sweden,  and 
plenipotentiary  minister  general,  have  signed  it  with 
my  own  hand,  and  affixed  my  seal  to  it  at  Hilebrum, 
April  10th,  1633." 

The  chancellor  also  published  an  address,  in  which 

1  De  Tries,  N.  Y.  His.  Coll.  2  De  Vries. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  141 

be  asserted  that  it  was  the  desire  of  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus  that  there  should  be  a  "  general  commercial 
and  navigation  company"  in  Sweden,  and  that  "  free 
and  open  commerce  should  he  carried  on  in  every 
part  of  the  world  where  the  greatest  advantages  might 
be  derived."  He  also  stated  that  "  the  work  was 
almost  carried  into  operation,"  but  was  delayed  by 
the  absence  of  the  king  in  the  crusades,  in  Prussia 
and  Germany,  and  from  other  causes.  He  appointed 
as  first  director  of  the  company,  W.  Usselincx,  the 
indefatigable  Antwerp  merchant,  through  whose  ex 
ertions  it  was  the  first  settlement  was  made  in  this 
State. 

On  the  21st  of  June,  a  patent  was  granted 
by   King   Charles    the    1st    to    Sir   Edward    L1 
Plowden.     It  is  said  under  this  grant  that  a  settle 
ment  was  made  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware.     Many 
writers  suppose  it  was  within  the  limits  of  this  State. 
Huffington  was  of  this  opinion.1     But  the  courses  and 
distances   in    the    grant   do    not    seem    to    apply   to 
Delaware. 

The  grant  to  Plowden  was  from  "  Cape  May, 
and  from  thence  to  the  westward  for  the  space 
of  forty  leagues,  running  by  the  river  Delaware,  and 
closely  following  its  course  by  north  latitude,  unto  a 
certain  rivulet  there,  arising  from  a  spring  of  the 
Lord  Baltimore  and  the  lands  of  Maryland,  when  it 
touches,  joins  and  determines  in  all  its  breadth,  from 
thence  takes  its  course  to  a  square  leading  to  the 
north  by  a  right  line  for  forty  leagues,  &c. ;  thence 


1  Iluffington's  Delaware  Register. 


142  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DEL  AAV  ARE. 

likewise  by  a  square  inclining  to  east  in  a  right  line 
for  the  space  of  forty  leagues,"  and  from  thence  by 
various  other  courses  and  distances,  mentioned  in  the 
grant,  to  the  place  of  beginning,  at  Cape  May.  This 
region  was  called  New  Albion.  But  as  it  runs  by 
the  course  of  the  Delaware,  and  as  following  the 
course  of  that  river  from  Cape  May,  would  lead  in  a 
northwest  direction,  the  grant  to  Plowden,  was  from 
all  the  evidence  that  can  be  procured,  from  Cape 
May  to  about  Trenton,  from  there  to  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Jersey  City,  opposite  Long  Island,  and  in 
cluding  that  island  to  Cape  May  again.  Thus  this 
grant  of  Plowden  appertained  exclusively  to  New 
Jersey,1  and  had  no  relation  to  Delaware. 

On  the  7th  of  February  the  two  colonies 
••  of  Swanendale,  one  heretofore  described, 
comprising  that  portion  of  Kent  and  Sussex  which 
fronts  on  the  bay,  the  other  on  the  opposite  coast  of 
New  Jersey,  were  sold  by  the  patroons  to  the  West 
India  Company  for  15,600  guilders,  or  §6,240.  This 
was  the  first  land  sale  made  by  white  men  in  the 
State.  There  appears  to  have  been  a  difficulty 
between  the  patroons  and  the  company,  as  in  the 
grant  it  was  stipulated  that  "  the  right  of  neither 
party  in  a  suit  depending  between  the  patroons  and 
the  company  at  Amsterdam  wTas  to  be  impaired." 
The  purchase-money  was  to  be  paid  in  installments 
on  the  27th  day  of  each  of  the  months  of  May, 
August,  and  November,  1635.  The  outstanding 

1  In  1G4S  a  pamphlet  was  published,  giving  a  description  of  New 
Albion.     It  may  be  seen  at  length  in  Smith's  History  of  New  Jersey. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  143 

accounts  between  the  settlers  and  the  Company  to  he 
considered  as  discharged,  and  they  not  subject  to 
duties  on  an  export  cargo  of  timber.1 

No  other  event  is  recorded  in  any  manner  relating 
to  the  State  until  1637. 

1  See  the  agreement  at  length  in  O'Calli^an. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

FROM  1637  TO  1G3S. 

I 

Peter  Minuit— Embarkation  of  the  Swedes  from  Gottcnberg  for  Dela 
ware,  under  Minuit — Voyage — Arrival  at  Jamestown,  Va. — 
Letter  of  Governor  of  Virginia  in  relation  thereto — English  claim 
the  country — They  arrive  at  the  Delaware— They  land  between 
Murderkill  and  Mispillion  Creeks — Name  it  Paradise  Point  — 
Sail  up  the  Delaware,  enter  Minquas  Creek,  and  land  at  the  Hocks 
— Appearance  of  the  Country — Build  Fort  Christina — Change  the 
name  of  Minquas  to  Christina  Creek — Build  Christnaham — 
Purchase  land  from  Indians — Dutch  object  to  Swedish  settle 
ment — Protest  of  Director  Kieft — Cruelty  of  Kieft  to  Indians — • 
Purchase  from  Cape  Ilenlopen  to  Trenton — Review  of  rights  of 
Dutch  and  Swedes — Remarks  thereon. 

j--,  ,,0^-1  THIS  year  the  energy  of  Usselincx,  the  pro 
jector  both  of  the  Dutch  and  Swedish  East 
India  Companies,  to  which  is  owing  both  the  settle 
ment  at  Manhattan  (New  York)  and  the  South  River 
or  New  Swedeland  stream  (the  Delaware)  as  it  was 
named  by  the  Swedes,  bore  fruit.  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus,  the  renowned  King  of  Sweden,  had  been  killed 
five  years  before  at  the  battle  of  Lutzen,  and  his 
infant  daughter,  Christina,  was  now  seated  on  the 
throne  of  Sweden.  Peter  Minuit,  who  had  been  ap 
pointed  as  Director-General  of  New  Netherlands,  in 
1624,  and  who  had  been  recalled  in  1632,  had  quar 
reled  with  the  compairjr  who  had  employed  him,  and 
offered  his  services  to  the  crown  of  Sweden.  The 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  145 

Dutch  West  India  Company  had  been  engaged  in 
disputes  with  the  patroons,  or  large  landholders  pos 
sessing  feudal  powers,  and  their  interest  was  opposed 
to  the  monopoly  of  trade  enjoyed  by  the  Company. 
Minuit  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  integrity,  who 
endeavored  to  maintain  the  legal  right  of  the  com 
pany,  or  in  other  words,  their  monopoly  of  the  com 
merce  between  New  Netherlands  (as  the  Dutch  pos 
sessions  in  this  continent  were  called)  and  the  mother 
country.  lie  was  undermined,  by  interested  state 
ments  made  to  the  directors,  and  probably  smarting 
under  what  he  considered  their  injustice,  laid  before 
the  celebrated  Chancellor  Oxenstiern  a  plan  for  the 
settlement  on  the  Delaware,  and  offered  to  conduct 
the  enterprise.  His  offer  was  accepted.  He  was 
appointed  governor  of  the  expedition,  and  accordingly 
some  time  in  the  fall  of  the  year  it  is  supposed  (for 
the  true  date  of  the  sailing  of  this  expedition  has 
never  been  ascertained),  he  set  sail  from  the  port  of 
Gottenberg  on  the  west  coast  of  Sweden.  The  expe 
dition  consisted  of  two  vessels.  One  was  an  armed 
ship,  called  the  "  Key  of  Kalmar,"  named  after  a  town 
in  Sweden,  the  other  a  transport  ship,  named  the 
"  Bird  Grip,"  or  Griffin.  The  expedition,  it  is  sup 
posed,  numbered  about  fifty  persons,  many  of  whom 
it  is  said  were  criminals,  as  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
Swedish  as  well  as  other  governments  at  that  time  to 
transport  convicts  and  laborers  to  the  colonies,  where 
they  were  sold  as  indented  servants.1  They  were 
well  supplied  with  provisions  for  the  colony,  and 

1  Acrelius,  408. 
10 


146  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF   DEL  AAV  ARE. 

arms  and  ammunition  for  defence,  with  merchandise 
for  trade,  and  with  presents  for  the  Indians.  They  also 
brought  over  with  them  Reorus  Torkillus,  a  clergy 
man,  who  died  in  1643.  This  was  the  first  clergy 
man  that  ever  preached  on  the  banks  of  the  Dela 
ware.  He  was  buried,  it  is  supposed,  in  the  grave 
yard  of  the  old  Swedes  Church  in  Wilmington.  They 
sa^ec^  ty  ^ne  Wa7  °f  the  West  Indies.  On 
their  route  they  touched  at  Jamestown,  Vir 
ginia,  and  made  known  to  the  English  authorities 
there  that  they  were  bound  to  the  South  River.  The 
English  desired  a  copy  of  their  commission,  but  this 
was  refused,  unless  they  were  allowed  free  trade  in 
tobacco  to  carry  to  Sweden.  This  was  not  complied 
with,  as  being  contrary  to  the  English  king's  instruc 
tions.  The  vessel  remained  at  Jamestown  for  about 
ten  days,  to  refresh  with  wood  and  water,  and  then 
proceeded  on  their  destination  to  the  Delaware,1  where 

1  The  following  letter  from  Jerome  Ilawley,  Secretary  of  Virginia, 
to  Mr.  Secretary  Windebanke,  gives  an  account  of  this  visit  of  the 
Swedes.  It  is  copied  from  Broadhead's  London  Documents,  at 
Albany,  vol.  1,  pp.  57  and  58  : 

"JAMESTOWN,  IN  VIRGINIA,  May  8,  1638. 

"  RIGHT  HON. — Upon  the  20th  of  March  last  I  took  the  boldness  to 
present  you  with  my  letters,  wherein  I  gave  only  a  touch  of  the 
business  of  our  Assembly,  referring  your  honor  to  the  general  letters 
then  sent  by  Mr.  Kemp,  from  the  governor  and  Council.  Since  which 
time  have  arrived  a  Dutch  ship,  with  commission  from  the  young 
Queen  of  Sweden,  and  signed  by  eight  of  the  chief  lords  of  Sweden, 
the  copy  whereof  I  would  have  taken  to  send  to  your  honor,  but  the 
captain  would  not  permit  me  to  take  any  copy  thereof,  except  he 
might  have  free  trade  for  to  carry  to  Sweden,  which  being  contrary 
to  his  majesty's  instructions,  the  governor  excused  himself  thereof. 
The  ship  remained  here  about  ten  days,  to  refresh  with  wood  and 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  147 

they  arrived  in  the  month  of  April  of  the  same  year. 
As  the  expedition  entered  our  beautiful  Bay  at  the 
time  all  nature  was  shining  forth  in  verdure,  they 
came  to  a  point  of  laud  jutting  into  the  broad  ex 
panse  of  its  waters,  on  which  they  landed  for  obser 
vation  and  refreshment.  It  was  situated  between  the 
present  Murderkill  and  Mispillion  Creeks,  in  what  is 
at  present  Kent  county.  They  were  so  struck  with 
its  beauty  that  they  named  it  Paradise  Point.  It 
was  only  a  few  miles  from  where  De  Vries'  colony 
had  been  massacred  by  the  Indians. 

After  refreshing  themselves  a  brief  time  at  Para 
dise  Point,  they  weighed  anchor  and  sailed  up  the 
Delaware,  and  passing  the  point  where  New  Castle 
now  stands,  at  the  distance  of  four  miles  above  it, 
they  found  the  land  on  the  left  to  trend  away  towards 
the  west  and  northwest,  forming  a  cove  about  three 
miles  long,  and  varying  in  width  from  one  furlong  to 
one  or  two  miles.  They  sailed  on  until  they  entered 
Minquas  Creek,  (the  Christiana,)  and  proceeding  up 
it  for  about  two  and  a  half  miles,  cast  anchor  at  the 

water,  during  which  time  the  master  of  said  ship  made  known  that 
both  himself  and  another  ship  of  his  company  were  bound  for  Dela 
ware  Bay,  which  is  the  confines  of  Virginia  and  New  England,  and 
there  they  pretend  to  make  a  plantation,  and  to  plant  tobacco,  which 
the  Dutch  do  so  already  in  Hudson's  lliver,  which  is  the  very  next 
river  northward  from  Delaware  Bay.  All  which  being  his  majesty's 
territories,  I  humbly  offer  the  consideration  thereof  unto  your  honor, 
and  if  his  majesty  should  be  pleased  to  think  upon  any  course,  either 
for  removing  them,  or  preventing  others  from  settling  upon  his 
majesty's  territories,  I  humbly  conceive  it  may  be  done  by  his 
majesty's  subjects  of  these  parts,  making  use  only  of  some  English 
ships  that  resort  hither  for  trade  yearly,  and  be  no  charge  at  all  upon 
his  majesty." 


148  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Rocks.  .  These  rocks  form  a  natural  wharf  of  stone, 
and  are  situated  at  the  foot  of  Sixth  street  in  the 
city  of  Wilmington,  and  the  site  of  which  was  until 
recently  occupied  as  a  ship  yard,  and  at  that  time 
were  one  of  the  capes  of  the  Christiana.  The 
other  was  the  old  Ferry  Point,  where  the  Townsend 
Iron  Works  now  stand.  The  marshes  on  the  south 
and  east  on  both  sides  of  the  Christiana,  on  the  south 
and  east  of  the  city  of  Wilmington,  known  as  the 
Cherry  Island,  Holland's,  Middleborough,  and  Deer 
Creek  marshes  were  then  at  high  tide  under  water, 
save  a  small  island  known  as  Cherry  Island,  which 
gave  the  former  marsh  its  name.  Therefore  between 
the  Rocks,  the  old  Ferry  Point  at  high  tide,  and  the 
the  Jersey  shore  opposite,  was  a  waste  of  waters,  the 
Delaware  then  washing  their  shores.  These  rocks  are 
the  termination  of  a  vein  of  hard  blue  rocks,  which 
"  issue  from  our  loftiest  hills."  This  ledge,  passing 
across  the  country  in  a  southerly  direction,  sometimes 
dipping  beneath  the  surface,  sometimes  just  showing 
itself  above  it,  at  length  arrive  at  the  shores  of  the 
Brandywine,  a  short  distance  below  the  mills.  There 
it  presents  a  high,  bold  point,  and  then  sinks  beneath 
the  channel  of  that  river.  After  passing  under  it,  and 
a  narrow  strip  of  meadow  land  on  its  south  side,  it 
immediately  rises  in  large  naked  masses,  and  pro 
ceeding  onwardly,  mostly  below  the  soil,  at  length  ter 
minates  abruptly  on  the  margin  of  the  Christiana,1 
and  forms  the  rocks,  the  natural  wharf  above  des 
cribed.  The  land  covering  this  ledge  from  the  point 

1  Ferris'  Original  Settlements. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  149 

of  rocks  toward  the  north  rises  with  a  gentle,  continual 
swell,  widening  as  it  recedes  from  the  Christiana,  and 
standing  high  above  the  meadows  on  either  side.  It 
extends  in  that  direction  about  six  hundred  yards, 
and  then  gently  declines  towards  the  Brandy  wine.1 
At  this  time  it  "formed  a  beautiful  promontory, 
jutting  far  out  into  the  cove  of  waters,  presenting  on 
all  sides  extensive  scenery,  bounded  only  by  the 
Jersey  shore  and  the  natural  forest  of  the  country.''2 
It  was  also  enclosed  in  a  magnificent  semi-circle  of 
high  hills,  whose  tops,  covered  with  trees,  reared 
their  beautiful  heads  to  heaven,  forming  one  of  the 
most  splendid  landscapes  the  world  has  ever  produced. 
On  these  rocks  the  Key  of  Kalmar  and  the  Griffin 
landed  their  passengers  and  freight.  They  at  once 
commenced  the  erection  of  a  fort  and  trading  house, 
which  they  named  in  honor  of  their  young  queen 
Fort  Christina.  They  also  changed  the  name  of  the 
creek  to  Christina  Creek.3  A  small  town,  named 
Christinaham,  or  Christina  Harbor,  was  also  erected 
behind  the  fort.  Lindstrom,  an  engineer  who  came 
out  in  1652,  left  a  plan  of  this  town  and  fort.4  It 
was  butlt  close  to  the  point  of  rocks,  its  southern 
rampart  being  within  a  few  feet  of  the  creek.5  On 


1  Ferris'  Original  Settlements.  2  Ibid. 

3  It  was  afterwards  corrupted  to  Christiana  its  present  name. 

4  See  the  plan  in  Campanius'  Work. 

5  Various  discoveries  and  relics  have  been  made  at  different  times 
in  digging  at  the  site  of  the  fort.     In  1745  a  Spanish  privateer  threat 
ened  to  land  on  the  Delaware,  and  fears  being  entertained  that  they 
would  attack  Wilmington,  attempts  were  made  to  place  the  old  fort 
in  repair.     In  digging  the  ground  for  that  purpose,  they  found  several 


150  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

the  eastern  side  of  the  fort,  immediately  under  its 
walls,  was  a  small  cove  or  basin,  called  the  "  Harbor,'7 
in  which  their  vessels  might  lay  out  of  the  current  of 
the  Christina,  and  without  danger  from  the  floating 
ice,  on  the  breaking  up  of  winter.  "  This  basin  is 
now  filled  up,  and  the  cattle  are  browsing  where  their 
ships  were  once  moored,  but  its  original  outline  and 
form  are  yet  distinctly  visible,  coinciding  precisely 
with  the  representation  made  by  Lindstorm,"  over 
two  hundred  years  ago.1  An  Indian  sachem,  named 
Mattahoon,  lived  near  the  fort,  from  whom  Minuit 
bought  the  land,  for  which  he  gave  him  a  copper 
kettle,  and  some  other  small  articles.  He  also  bought 
of  the  same  Indian  as  much  land  as  was  contained 
with  "six  trees."  For  this,  the  Indian  afterwards 
stated,  Minuit  promised  him  half  the  tobacco 
which  would  grow  upon  it,  which,  however,  the 
sachem  said  he  never  gave  him.2  This  Mattahoon 
was  undoubtedly  the  sachem  Matta  Horn  who  called  a 
council  in  1645,  to  consider  whether  the  Indians 
should  destroy  the  Swedes.3 

The  arrival  of  the   Swedes  was  almost  instantly 
known  to  the  Dutch  who  inhabited  Fort  Nassau,  as 

pieces  of  money,  with  Queen  Christina's  stamp  upon  it.  On  the  31st 
of  March,  1755,  on  taking  up  by  chance  some  pieces  of  the  walls, 
there  were  found  many  cannon  balls,  granadoes,  and  other  similar 
things,  which  had  been  kept  carefully  concealed  since  the  surrender 
of  the  fort  by  Rising.  Five  pieces  of  cannon  (according  to  Acrelius) 
were  kept  mounted  there  previously,  as  at  the  treaty  of  Aux  la  Cha- 
pelle,  in  1046,  an  English  salute  was  fired  from  them,  in  honor  of  the 
governor,  who  was  going  to  meet  the  Legislature  at  New  Castle. 

1  Ferris'  Original  Settlement,  p.  43. 

2  O'Calligan,  vol  1.  3  See  ante  p.  81. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  151 

on  the  28th  of  April  the  assistant  commissary  of  that 
fort  wrote  to  New  Amsterdam  that  Minuit  had  "  sent 
his  ship  below  the  fort,  and  afterwards  wanted  to 
send  her  up  again,  but  this  we  prevented."  The  com 
missary  of  Fort  Nassau  also  sent  Peter  Mey  to  Minuit 
to  see  his  license  and  commission,  but  this  he  refused 
to  show.  Jan  Jansen,  the  clerk,  was  ordered  to  pro 
test  in  proper  form,  in  case  Minuit  did  any  thing  to 
their  disadvantage.  As  to  whether  Jan  Jansen  pro 
tested  or  not,  history  is  silent.  But  the  following 
formal  protest  was  almost  immediately  made  by 
Director  Kieft/  from  Fort  Amsterdam  : 

1  The  character  of  Kieft  stands  out  darkly  in  comparison  with  that 
of  Peterson  De  Tries,  who  first  attempted  to  settle  this  State.  He 
thus  describes  the  massacre  of  the  Indians  at  Pavonia,  now  Jersey 
City,  opposite  Xew  York,  under  the  orders  of  Kieft : 

"  It  was  on  the  nights,"  he  says,  "  of  the  25th  and  26th  of  Febru 
ary,  1643,  that  they  executed  these  foul  deeds.  I  remained  that 
night  at  the  governor's  and  took  a  seat  in  the  kitchen  near  the  fire. 
At  midnight  I  heard  loud  shrieks.  I  went  towards  the  parapets  of 
the  fort,  and  looked  towards  Pavonia.  I  saw  nothing  but  the  flash  of 
the  guns,  and  heard  nothing  more  of  the  yells  and  clamor  of  the 
Indians,  who  were  butchered  during  their  sleep.  About  day  the 
soldiers  returned  to  the  fort,  having  murdered  eighty  Indians.  And 
this  was  the  feat  worthy  of  the  heroes  of  old  Rome,  to  massacre  a 
parcel  of  Indians  in  their  sleep — to  take  the  children  from  the  breasts 
of  their  mothers — to  butcher  them  in  the  presence  of  their  parents, 
and  throw  their  mangled  bodies  into  the  fire  or  water.  Other  suck 
lings  had  been  fastened  (by  their  mothers)  to  little  boards  (according 
to  the  Indian  manner  of  nursing  very  young  infants)  and  in  this 
position  they  were  cut  to  pieces !  Some  were  thrown  into  the  river, 
and  when  the  parents  rushed  in  to  save  them,  the  soldiers  prevented 
their  landing,  and  let  the  parents  and  children  drown  together ! 
Children  of  five  or  six  years  old  were  murdered,  and  some  aged,  de- 
crepid  men  cut  to  pieces.  Those  who  had  escaped  these  horrors  and 
found  shelter  in  bushes  and  reeds,  making  in  the  morning  their  ap 
pearance  to  beg  some  food  to  warm  themselves  were  killed  in  cold 


152  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

"  I  William  Kieft,  Director-General  of  New  Nether 
lands,  residing  on  the  Island  of  Manhattan,  in  New 
Amsterdam,  under  the  sovereignty  of  their  High 
Mightinesses  the  State  General  of  the  United  Nether 
lands,  and  the  privileged  West  India  Company's  de 
partment  at  Amsterdam,  make  known  to  the  Hon. 
Peter  Minuit,  who  calls  himself  commissioner  in  the 
service  of  her  royal  majesty  of  Sweden,  that  the 
whole  South  River,  in  New  Netherlands,  has  been  in 
our  possession  many  years,  and  has  been  secured  by 
us  with  forts  above1  and  below,2  and  sealed  with  our 
blood,  which  has  happened  even  during  your  direction 
of  New  Netherlands,  and  is  well  known  to  you. 
Whereas  you  now  do  make  a  beginning  of  a  settle 
ment  between  our  forts,  and  are  building  there  a  fort, 
to  our  prejudice  and  disadvantage,  what  we  shall 
never  endure  or  tolerate,  and  which  we  are  persuaded 
it  never  has  been  commanded  by  her  royal  majesty 

blood,  and  thrown  into  the  fire  or  water.  Some  came  running  to  us 
in  the  country  with  their  hands  cut  off.  Some  had  their  arms  and 
legs  cut  off.  Some  who  had  their  legs  cut  off  were  supporting  their 
entrails  with  their  arms.  Others  were  mangled  in  other  horrid  ways, 
in  fact  too  shocking  to  be  conceived/' 

Do  Vries,  in  his  remonstrance  against  the  above  massacre  :  ll  Con 
sider,  sir,  what  good  will  it  do?  We  know  that  we  lost  our  settle 
ment  at  the  Hoorn  Creek  (Lewestown)  in  1630,  by  mere  jangling 
with  the  Indians,  when  thirty-two  of  our  men  were  murdered  by  the 
Indians,  and  now  lastly  at  Staten  Island,  where  my  people  were  des 
troyed,  occasioned  by  your  petty  contrivances  in  killing  the  Indians 
at  Raritan,  and  mangling  the  brother  of  their  chief  for  a  mere  baga 
telle."  De  Tries,  notwithstanding  all  his  losses  by  the  Indians,  had 
a  good  opinion  of  them.  He  says  of  them,  "  they  will  do  no  harm  if 
no  harm  is  done  to  them." 

1  Fort  Nassau. 

2  Fort  Oplandt,  at  Lewes,  where  De  Vries'  men  were  massacred. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  153 

of  Sweden,  to  build  fortresses  on  our  rivers,  and  along 
our  shores,  so  is  it  that  we,  if  you  proceed  with  the 
building  of  forts,  and  cultivating  the  lands,  and  trad 
ing  in  furs,  or  engage  further  in  any  thing  to  our 
prejudice,  protest  against  all  expenses,  damages,  and 
losses,  and  will  not  be  answerable  for  any  mishaps, 
effusion  of  blood,  troubles  and  disasters  which  your 
company  might  suffer  in  future,  while  we  are  resolved 
to  defend  our  rights  in  all  such  manner  as  we  shall 
deem  proper.  Done  in  the  year  163S."1 

No  attention  was  paid  to  this  protest  by  Minuit, 
who  went  quietly  to  wrork  to  finish  Fort  Christina, 
and  was  submitted  to  by  the  Dutch.  Shortly  after 
wards  the  Swedes  purchased  all  the  lands  from  the 
Indians  from  Cape  Henlopen  to  Santickan,  or  what 
is  now  known  as  the  Falls  of  Trenton,  and  there  fixed 
up  stakes  and  marks.  The  original  deeds  for  these 
lands,  with  the  marks  of  the  Indians,  were  sent  to 
Sweden,  and  preserved  in  the  archives  of  Stockholm, 
where  they,  as  well  as  a  map  of  the  country,  made 
by  Magnus  Ivling,  their  surveyor,  was  seen  by  Israel 
Helm,  and  a  copy  of  the  map  made  and  brought  over 
by  a  clergyman  who  arrived  here  in  169 7. 2  Part  of 
this  land,  supposed  to  extend  from  Cape  Henlopen  to 
Mahon  River,  had  been  sold  eight  years  before  to 
Godyn.3  It  was  on  this  land  that  De  Vries'  colony 

1  This  document  is  dated  Thursday,  6th  of  May,  1638,  in  Acrelius' 
History  of  New  Sweden.     At  the  records  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Monday, 
the  17th  day  of  May.     The  Swedes  used  the  old,  the  Dutch  the  new 
style  ;  hence  the  difference  of  days.     The  reader  must  keep  this  in 
mind  in  regard  to  dates. 

2  Rudman's  notes,  in  Clay,  p.  17.  3  See  ante  p.  127. 


154  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

was  massacred.  The  Indians  thus  sold  to  the  Swedes 
what  they  had  previously  conveyed  to  the  Dutch. 
We  must  not  judge  them  harshly  for  this,  for  the 
Dutch  had  to  all  appearances  abandoned  the  territory, 
and  without  doubt  they  were  not  aware  they  were 
committing  any  injustice  or  wrong  in  selling  it  over 
again.  It  was  impossible  for  them  to  be  acquainted 
with  European  rules  in  relation  to  real  estate  con 
veyances.  To  them  the  land  was  hunting  ground, 
free  to  all.  It  will  be  seen  hereafter  they  even 
denied  to  the  Dutch  the  selling  of  the  land  to  the 
Swedes,  and  sold  it  to  the  Dutch  a  second  time. 
This  leaves  the  matter  a  question  of  veracity  between 
the  Swedes  and  Indians. 

As  to  who  had  the  best  right  to  the  Delaware,  the 
Dutch  or  the  Swedes,  we  think  that  hardly  any  can 
did  person  will  deny  that,  according  to  the  European 
rule  of  right,  the  better  claim  lay  with  the  former. 
According  to  the  claim  set  up  by  the  European  mari 
time  nations,  the  right  of  first  discovery  gave  the  dis 
coverer  the  paramount  right  of  occupancy  and  pos 
session,  and  of  purchasing  from  the  Indians.  Accord 
ing  to  this  rule,  the  Dutch  had  a  prior  right  to  the 
Swedes,  as  they  had  discovered  the  Delaware  in 
1609,  sailed  up  it  as  high  as  the  Schuylkill,  and 
built  Fort  Nassau,  and  afterwards  Fort  Oplandt,  on 
the  sight  of  or  near  Lewistown,  in  Sussex  county,  in 
this  State.  But  before  this  the  English  had  sailed 
past  and  discovered  the  shores — and  it  is  said  mapped 
them  out — and  three  years  previous  to  the  Dutch 
discovery  of  the  Delaware,  had  laid  claim  to  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  155 

territory,  and  granted  it  to  companies  for  settlement, 
who  had  settled  portions  of  it  under  that  grant.  So 
that  according  to  these  rules,  neither  Dutch  or  Swedes 
had  a  right,  but  only  the  English.  But  according  to 
natural  right,  the  Swedes  had  a  better  claim  than 
the  Dutch,  at  least  to  Fort  Christina,  and  the  places 
they  occupied,  if  not  to  the  territory  from  Mahon 
River  to  the  Trenton  Falls.  For  the  Indians  were 
an  independent  people,  lords  of  the  land,  had  a  per 
fect  right  to  make  sales  to  whoever  they  chose  ;  and 
if  they  sold  the  Swedes  the  land,  as  the  Swedes 
claimed  they  did,  they  had  a  better  right  than  either 
the  Dutch  or  English,  who  really  had  no  right  at 
all. 

The  probable  reason  of  the  Dutch  submitting  so 
quietly  to  what  they  considered  the  usurpations  of 
the  Swedes,  was  that  the  charter  of  the  West  India 
Company  prohibited  their  declaring  war  or  com 
mencing  hostilities  either  with  a  foreign  State  or  the 
native  Indians,  without  the  consent  of  the  States 
General  of  the  United  Netherlands ;  and  in  case  a 
war  should  be  waged  against  the  company  or  its 
settlements,  the  States  were  only  bound  to  furnish 
one  half  the  means  for  equipping  and  manning  a 
squadron  for  the  occasion,  and  after  it  went  into  ser 
vice  the  expense  of  maintaining  the  armaments  were 
to  be  paid  wholly  by  the  company.  Again,  Sweden 
was  then  a  great  military  power,  and  considered  the 
champion  of  Protestantism  in  Europe,  at  the  time 
when  the  feeling  between  it  and  Catholicism  was 
most  intense,  and  there  was  a  struggle  between  them 


156  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

not  only  for  dominion,  but  on  the  part  of  the  former 
almost  for  existence. 

Ferdinand  II.,  Emperor  of  Germany,  a  cruel  and 
despotic  prince,  had  determined  to  extirpate  the 
Protestant  religion  from  every  part  of  his  extensive 
dominions.  Gustavus  Adolphus,  supported  by  other 
European  powers,  determined  to  invade  Germany. 
In  the  year  1630,  he  crossed  the  Baltic,  arid,  after 
gaining  several  brilliant  victories  in  a  short  time, 
took  three  hundred  strong  towns  and  fortresses  in 
the  German  empire,  and  gained  possession  of  the 
extensive  tract  of  country  extending  from  the  borders 
of  Hungary  and  Silesia  to  the  banks  of  the  Rhine, 
and  from  the  Lakes  of  Constance  to  the  Black  Sea, 
This  success  having  prevented  the  execution  of  Fer 
dinand's  designs  against  the  Protestants,  we  can 
imagine,  caused  a  fraternal  feeling  between  the  Swedes 
and  the  Dutch,  who  but  a  few  years  before  had 
separated  from  Spain,  on  account  of  their  religion, 
the  main  cause  of  the  Dutch  revolt  being,  that  whilst 
they  held  the  Protestant,  the  Spaniards  held  the 
Catholic  faith.  Therefore,  in  addition  to  the  blood 
and  treasure  which  might  be  spent,  were  an  attempt 
made  to  dispossess  the  Swedes  by  force  of  arms, 
there  was  the  rupture  of  good  feeling  that  would 
occur  between  two  Protestant  nations,  a  feeling 
which  was  much  stronger  then  than  now,  when  reli 
gious  persecutions  are  unpopular,  and  wars  between 
nations  on  account  of  their  faith  unknown.  It  was 
from  these  causes,  and  not  from  any  want  of  courage, 
that  the  Dutch  submitted  to  the  usurpations  of  the 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  157 

Swedes  on  the  Delaware.  Both,  however,  in  the  end 
succumbed  to  a  stronger  and  more  numerous  race, 
who  now  inhabit  the  land  for  which  they  disputed, 
and  whose  rule,  language,  manners  and  customs  may 
possibly  hereafter  extend  over  the  globe. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

FROM  1038  TO  1642. 

Departure  of  Minuit  for  Europe — The  return — Complaints  of  Dutch 
Company  against  residents  for  infringing  on  their  trade — Em 
ployees  of  Company  forbidden  to  trade — Slavery  on  the  Delaware 
— Dutch  Company  complain  of  the  heavy  expense  of  Fort  Nassau, 
and  of  injury  to  their  trade  by  the  Swedes — Dutch  forbid  powder 
and  ball  being  sold  to  Indians — They  forbid  any  vessel  to  sail 
in  South  River — Penalty — Swedes  think  of  abandoning  Delaware 
and  going  to  New  Amsterdam — Prevented  by  the  arrival  of  the 
ship  Fredenburg  with  succor  —  Arrival  of  Ilollendarc — The 
Dutch  settlement  under  the  Swedish  rule — Their  Charter — Jost 
de  Bogart,  their  Governor — It  is  supposed  they  settled  at  St. 
Georges  and  Appoquinimink  Hundreds — Complaint  by  the  Dutch 
of  injury  to  trade  and  outrage  from  the  Swedes — English  settle 
on  the  Delaware — Kieft's  protest  against  them — Death  of  Peter 
Minuit,  the  first  governor  of  Delaware — New  Sweden  the  name 
of  Delaware. 

ABOUT  three  months  after  Minuit  entered  the  Dela 
ware,  and  probably  directly  after  the  Fort  was 
finished,  he  sailed  again  for  Europe,  with  the  two 
vessels,  leaving  twenty-four  men  in  the  fort.  But  he 
returned  soon  afterwards.1  There  is,  however,  little 
left  to  tell  us  of  the  actions  of  the  first  governor  of 
our  State. 

The  Dutch  West  India  Company  made  great  corn- 
plaints,  on  the  7th  of  June,  of  the  frauds  committed 
against  them  in  the  fur  trade  by  parties  resident  in 
New  Netherlands,  whom  they  asserted  "  embezzled 

1  Hazard's  Annals,  p.  48. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  159 

and  appropriated  to  themselves  the  largest  and 
choicest  assortment  of  furs,  exchanging  their  worst 
skins  for  the  best  skins  of  the  company."  They  com 
plained  grievously  of  the  expenses  of  vessels  and 
forts,  and  forbid  any  merchandise  being  sent,  without 
the  consent  of  the  Company,  to  New  Netherlands. 
They  also  forbid  any  person  from  trading  without 
their  consent,  under  penalty  of  loosing  all  their 


wages. 


At  this  early  period  there  appears  to  have  ri  gom 
been  slavery  on  the  Delaware.  As  one 
Coinclisse  was  "  condemned,  on  the  3d  of  February, 
to  serve  the  company  with  the  blacks  on  South  River 
for  wounding  a  soldier  at  Fort  Amsterdam.  He  was 
also  to  pay  a  fine  to  the  fiscal,  and  damages  to  the 
wounded  soldier."1  On  the  22d,  a  witness  testifying 
in  the  case  of  Governor  Van  Twiller,  (the  governor 
of  New  Netherlands  before  Kieft,)  who  was  charged 
with  neglect  and  mismanagement  of  the  company's 
affairs,  said  that  "  he  had  in  his  custody  for  Van 
Twiller,  at  Fort  Hope  and  Nassau,  twenty-four  to 
thirty  goats,  and  that  thr~e  negroes  bonylit  by  the 
director  in  1686,  were  since  employed  in  his  private 
service."2  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  slavery  was  in 
troduced  on  the  Delaware  as  early  as  1636,  though 
probably  not  in  this  State,  as  the  Dutch  at  that  time 
had  no  settlement  here.  By  another  witness  in  the 
same  case,  we  find  that  a  large  house  was  built  at 
Fort  Nassau,  which  was  much  decayed.  The  direc- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  2,  p  10. 

2  Albany  Records,  vol.  1,  p.  85. 


160  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

tors  in  Holland  severely  condemned  Van  Twiller  for 
these  expenses.  The  mention  of  these  matters  are 
necessary  as  showing  beyond  a  doubt  the  continued 
occupancy  of  this  river  by  the  Dutch.  The  directors 
also  complain  that  Fort  Nassau  is  a  heavy  burden  to 
them  as  regards  the  garrison,  provisions,  and  the 
vessel.  They  say,  however,  they  cannot  reduce  it 
on  account  of  the  Swedes,  who,  being  but  five  Dutch 
miles  (twenty  English)  have  done  30,000  florins 
worth  of  injury  to  their  trade.  They  however  con 
soled  themselves  by  the  thought  the  Swedes  would 
soon  have  to  break  up  if  they  received  no  succor.1 

Thus  early  had  the  arrival  of  the  Swedes  in  this 
State  injured  the  Dutch  trade  on  the  Delaware.  They 
had  been  very  successful  in  their  trade  the  first  year 
after  their  arrival.  They  had  exported  thirty  thousand 
skins,  having  managed,  in  their  dealings  with  the 
Indians,  to  undersell  the  Dutch. 

On  the  31st  of  March,  the  Dutch  made  several 
rules  in  relation  to  the  South  (Delaware)  Elver. 
Amongst  them  was  one  prohibiting  the  selling  of 
powder  and  guns  to  the  Indians,  under  penalty  of 
death.  Also  one  prohibiting  any  one  sailing  with  boats 
or  vessels  on  the  South  River  without  license,  under 
the  penalty  of  the  confiscation  of  the  vessel  and 
cargo. 

["16401       Notwithstanding   the  excellence  of  their 

trade,  the  Swedish  settlers  at  fort  Christina 

became  discouraged,  and  in  the  spring  had  determined 

1  Holl.  Doe.,  vol.  8,  pp.  52,  53. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  161 

to  abandon  their  settlement,  and  remove  to  New  Am 
sterdam.1  Every  preparation  had  been  made  for  their 
removal,  and  they  were  to  have  started  the  next  day, 
when,  to  their  great  joy,  a  vessel  arrived  with  suc 
cor  from  Sweden.  This,  of  course,  caused  them  to 
abandon  their  intention.  She  proved  to  be  the  Fred- 
enburg,  Captain  Jacob  Powelson.  She  was  a  Dutch 
vessel,  and  her  crew  and  passengers  were  Hollanders, 
though  sailing  under  the  Swedish  flag.  She  had  left 
Holland  in  January,  and  arrived  in  the  South  River 
some  time  previous  to  the  1st  of  May.  She  was 
laden  with  men,  cattle  and  everything  necessary  for 
the  cultivation  of  the  country.  They  brought  with 
them  a  letter  from  the  two  Oxenstierns  (the  chan 
cellor  and  his  brother),  directed  to  the  commissary  or 
other  inhabitants  of  Fort  Christina,  in  New  Sweden, 
commanding  that  no  obstacle  should  be  placed  in  their 
way  by  the  Swedish  inhabitants,  and  that  for  their 
own  advantage  and  safety,  they  should  be  on  good 
terms  with  them.  The  same  letter  informed  them 
that  two  more  vessels  would  be  sent  out  to  them  in 
the  spring.2  In  this  vessel  it  is  said  arrived  Peter 
Hollendare,  who  succeeded  Minuit  as  Governor  of 
Delaware. 

This  settlement  of  Hollanders  was  made  under  a 
charter  first  given  to  Gothardt  de  Redden,  William 
de  Horst  and Fenland,  but  it  was  afterwards 

1  Holl.  Doc.,  vol.  8,  pp.  53,  54. 

2  See  Register  of  Penn.  vol.  4,  179,  where  are  published  from  docu 
ments  furnished  to  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  by  Jonathan 
Russel,  whilst  minister  to  Sweden. 

11 


162  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

assigned  (for  what  reason,  at  the  present  day  is  not 
known),  to  Henry  Hockhammer,  &c.,  they,  as  the  in 
strument  states  u  having  the  intention  of  establishing 
a  colony  in  New  Sweden."     As  what  now  constitutes 
the  State  of  Delaware  was  then  entirely  under  the 
dominion  of  the   Swedes ;    what  Dutch   there   were 
being   settled   in   Pennsylvania  or  New  Jersey,  we 
may  consider  New  Sweden,  (although  its  boundaries 
were  undefined,)  as  being  the  appropriate  name  of 
Delaware  at  this  time.     The  principal  features  of  this 
charter  were,  that  provision  was  given  them  under 
royal  protection,  to  depart  from  Holland  at  their  own 
expense,  with  two  or  three  vessels,  with  "men,  cattle 
and  other  necessaries  to  form  a  settlement,  at  least 
five   German  miles    below    Fort   Christina,   on   both 
sides  of  South  River,  and  take  up  as  much  land  as 
they  could  place  in  actual  cultivation  in  ten  years." 
In  addition  to.  the  fullest  power  over  the  land,  if  one 
part  did  not  suit  them  they  were  allowed  to  choose 
another,   with  the    consent  of  the   Governor   of  the 
country.     They  were  to  pay  to  the  Swedish  crown  as 
an  acknowedgment  of  its  authority,  three  florins  for 
each  family  established  in  the  territory.     They  had 
the  right  of  exercising  high  and  low  justice,  of  found 
ing  cities,  villages,  and  communities,  "  with  a  certain 
police,  statutes  and  ordinances,  to  appoint  magistrates 
and  officers,  to  take  the  title  and  arms  of  their  colony 
or  province."     "  It  being,"  the  charter  says,  "  under 
stood  that  they  and  their  descendants  shall  receive  of 
us  and   our  successors,   that  jurisdiction,   and   these 
royal  rights,  as  an  hereditary  fief,  and  that  they  must 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  163 

conform  themselves  in  this  case,  to  all  which  concerns 
the  ordinary  justice  of  fiefs."  Their  statutes  and  or 
dinances  were  to  be  communicated  to  the  governor 
for  approbation  and  confirmation.  They  were  allowed 
to  exercise  "besides  the  Augsburg  confession,"  the 
"pretended  reformed  religion"  but  "  in  such  a  manner, 
that  those  who  profess  the  one  or  the  other  religion, 
should  live  in  peace,  abstaining  from  every  useless 
dispute,  from  all  scandal  and  all  abuse."  They  were 
"  to  be  obliged  to  support  at  all  times  as  many  minis 
ters  and  school-masters  as  the  number  of  inhabitants 
shall  seem  to  require,"  and  "  to  choose  for  this  pur 
pose,  persons  who  had  at  heart  the  conversion  of  the 
pagan  inhabitants  to  Christianity."  They  were  allowed 
to  establish  all  sorts  of  manufactories,  and  to  "  engage 
in  all  commerce,  in  and  out  of  the  country,  with  the 
coast  of  the  West  Indies  and  Africa,  belonging  to 
friendly  powers,  but  only  with  vessels  and  yachts 
built  in  New  Sweden,  under  promise  of  the  govern 
ment's  assistance.  Gottenberg  was  to  be  the  depot  of 
all  merchandise  transported  from  New  Sweden  to 
Europe.  The  merchants  were  not  required  to  pass 
the  sound,  if  they  wished  to  go  to  some  other  part 
of  the  kingdom.  They  were  not  to  enter  foreign 
ports  not  dependant  upon  the  crown  of  Sweden, 
except  in  cases  of  necessity,  and  they  were  then  to 
proceed  to  Gottenberg,  to  show  the  reasons  that  com 
pelled  them  to  enter  the  foreign  port,  to  pay  duty  on 
the  merchandise  they  had  sold  elsewhere,  and  to  equip 
their  vessels  anew.  They  were  to  be  exempt  for  ten 
years, from  all  impost  and  duty  (except  the  three  florins 


164  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

on  each  family).  After  the  ten  years  they  were  to 
pay  five  per  cent,  on  all  goods  that  should  be  imported 
or  exported  from  New  Sweden,  and  contribute  to  the 
pay  of  officers  and  support  of  fortresses.  No  one  was 
allowed  to  take  a  servant  from  his  or  her  master,  be 
fore  the  term  of  service  was  ended,  nor  employ  them 
without  express  permission  of  the  master  or  governor, 
who  was  required  to  support  the  master  in  his  rights. 
Whoever  discovered  mines,  minerals,  or  precious 
stones,  were  to  have  the  right  of  working  them  for 
ten  years,  with  the  consent  of  the  governor,1  after 
that  to  have  the  preference,  upon  the  payment  of  an 
annual  sum  to  be  determined.  Property  was  to  be 
exempt  from  confiscation,  and  no  fines,  whatever  be 
the  offence,  wrere  to  exceed  one  hundred  florins  of  the 
empire,  or  forty  rix  dollars.2  There  were  various 
other  matters  in  the  charter,  but  these  appeared  to  be 
its  principal  features. 

From  the  above  it  appears  that  a  separate  Dutch 
colony  was  formed,  (within  the  present  limits  of  this 
state),  under  the  Swedish  rule.  Jost  de  Bogardt  it  is 
believed  was  appointed  their  governor,  at  a  salary  of 
500  florins  or  200  rix  dollars  per  annum,  with  the 
promise  of  an  increase  of  100  florins  to  his  salary, 
"  if"  (as  his  commission  says,)  "  in  future  we  have 
new  proofs  of  his  attachment,  and  of  his  zeal  to  pro 
mote  our  welfare,  and  that  of  our  crown.3  As  to 

1  From  this  sentence  it  would  seem  that  the  consent  required  was 
that  of  the  Dutch  governor,  appointed  over  these  particular  settlers, 
and  not  the  Swedish  governor. 

2  Swedish  Documents  in  Register  of  Pennsylvania,  vol.  4,  p.  170, 

3  Reg.  of  Penn.  Acrelius. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  165 

how  Jost  de  Bogardt  acted,  or  whether  he  got  an  in 
crease  of  his  salary,  history  is  silent.  This  Dutch 
settlement  it  is  supposed,  was  in  the  neighborhood  of 
St.  Georges  and  Appoquinimink  hundreds  in  New 
Castle  county.  The  instructions  to  Governor  Prince, 
which  it  is  supposed  alluded  to  this  colony,  says, 
"  that  those  of  the  Dutch  nation  who  have  gone  to 
New  Sweden,  and  are  there  established  under  Swed 
ish  protection,  and  under  commandant  Jost  de  Bo 
gardt,  the  governor  must  show  them  all  good  will, 
seeing  that  they  comply  with  the  conditions  stipu 
lated,  and  also  obey  the  orders  signified  to  them  this 
year ;  that  being  established  too  near  to  Fort  Chris 
tina  (report  says  only  three  miles  distant),  they  must 
abandon  it,  and  occupy  a  place  more  distant  from  the 
fort;  but  the  governor  may  remove  them  or  suffer 
them  to  remain,  as  he  finds  convenient. 

The  Dutch  at  this  time  made  most  grievous  com 
plaints  to  the  directors  in  Holland,  of  the  injury 
done  to  their  trade,  and  outrages  by  the  Swedes  on 
the  South  River.  Director  Kieft,  in  a  letter  dated 
October  15,  said,  "we  shall  treat  the  Swedes  with 
every  politeness,  although  they  commenced  with 
many  hostilities  forcibly  to  build,  attack  our  fort, 
trading,  threatening  to  take  our  boats,  &C."1 

At  this  time,  we  have  the  first  authentic  information 
of  the  attempt  of  the  English  to  settle  on  the  Dela 
ware.  The  different  records  do  not  exactly  agree,  but 
enough  can  be  extracted  from  them  to  render  it  cer 
tain  that  Captain  Turner,  as  the  agent  of  several 

1  Holl.  Doc.,  vol.  8,  pp.  53,  54. 


166  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

citizens  of  New  Haven,  embarked  from  there  for  the 
Delaware,  and  when  he  arrived,  purchased  several 
tracts  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of 
settling  it  with  English  families  from  that  place.  On 
their  way  they  called  at  New  Amsterdam,  and  Di 
rector  Kieft  made  a  protest  against  their  visit.  But 
upon  representation  that  they  had  "  express  direction 
not  to  meddle  with  anything  that  the  Dutch  and 
Swedes  had  a  right  too."  He  wrote  to  John  John 
son  (Jan  Jan  sen  in  Dutch),  the  Dutch  agent  at  Dela 
ware  to  hold  "good  correspondence  with  them," 
which  accordingly  at  first  he  did,  and  showed  them 
how  far  the  Dutch  and  Swedish  title  reached.  The 
rest  he  told  them  was  free  for  them  to  purchase,  and 
offered  them  his  assistance.1  Trumbull  in  his  history 
of  Connecticut,  says,  "  A  large  purchase,  sufficient 
for  a  number  of  plantations  was  made  by  Captain 
Turner,  agent  for  New  Haven,  on  both  sides  the 
Delaware  Bay  and  River.  This  purchase  was  made 
with  a  view  to  trade,  and  for  the  settlement  of 
churches  in  gospel  order  and  purity."2 
P16411  Early  in  the  year,  the  English  made  their 
attempt  to  settle  on  the  lands  purchased  by 
Turner  on  the  Delaware.  A  bark  or  catch  was  fitted 
out  at  New  Haven,  by  Mr.  Lamberton,  under  the 
command  of  Robert  Cogswell.  They  stopped  at 
Fort  Amsterdam,  when  Director  Kieft  hearing  of 
their  intention  delivered  them  the  following  protest : 

1  Records  United  Colonies  in  Hazard's  Historical  Collection,  vol. 
2,  p.  213. 

2  TrumLull,  vol.  1,  p.  116. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  167 

"  I,  William  Keift,  Director  General,  &c.,  make  known 
to  you  Robert  Cogswell,  and  your  associates  not  to 
build  nor  plant  on  the  South  River,  lying  within  the 
limits  of  New  Netherlands,  nor  on  the  lands  extend 
ing  along  there,  as  lawfully  belonging  to  us,  by  our 
possessing  the  same  long  years  ago,  before  it  was  fre 
quented  by  any  Christians,  as  appears  by  our  forts 
which  we  have  thereon;  and  also  the  mouth  of  the 
rivers  sealed  with  our  blood,  and  the  soil  itself,  most 
of  which  has  been  purchased  and  paid  for  by  us, 
unless  you  will  settle  under  the  States  and  the  noble 
West  India  Company,  and  swear  allegiance,  and  be 
come  subject  to  them,  as  the  other  inhabitants  have 
done.  Failing  whereof,  we  protest  against  all  dam 
ages  and  losses  which  may  accrue  therefrom,  and 
desire  to  be  holden  innocent  thereof."1 

The  English  however,  assured  the  Governor,  that 
it  was  not  their  intention  to  interfere  with  any  settle 
ment  already  made,  and  if  none  could  be  found  free 
from  claims  they  would  return.  They  accordingly 
proceeded  to  South  River,  and  commenced  erecting 
trading  houses  or  Varkens,  or  Farkenskill,  near  the 
present  town  of  Salem,  N.  J.,  and  it  is  supposed  also 
on  the  Schuylkill.  This  settlement  consisted  of  sixty 
persons,2  comprising  twenty  families.3 

About  this  time  died  Peter  Minuit,  the  first  Gov 
ernor  of  New  Sweden.  He  is  usually  placed  in  our 
annals,  as  the  first  Governor  of  Delaware,  although 

'  Holl.  Doc.,  vol.  9,  p.  205. 

2  Instruction  to  Swedish  Governor,  Reg.  Pcnn.  vol.  4,  p.  219. 

3  Winthrop. 


168  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

that  claim  rightly  belongs  to  Peter  Hosset.  To  his 
exertions  our  State  owes  its  first  permanent  settle 
ment.  He  was  buried  it  is  supposed,  in  what  is  now 
the  graveyard  of  the  Old  Swedes  Church,  in  the  City 
of  Wilmington.  There  his  bones  rest,  in  company 
with  those  of  Reorus  Torkillus,  the  first  clergyman. 
Thus,  the  first  chief  magistrate  and  the  first  minister 
of  Delaware,  sleep  side  by  side,  with  no  stone  or 
insignia  to  mark  their  resting  place. 

It  is  supposed,  that  the  Old  Swedes  Church  is 
built  on  the  site  of  the  old  graveyard,  used  by  the 
first  Swedish  settlers  to  inter  their  dead.  This  is 
inferred  from  the  following  circumstances :  Fort 
Christina  served  the  purpose  both  of  a  church  and 
fortification,  as  in  it  the  Swedes  held  their  public 
worship.  In  the  rear  stood  the  village  of  Christina- 
ham,  the  ancestor  of  the  modern  Wilmington.  On 
the  wrest  side  of  Christinaham  being  near  to  the  vil 
lage,  a  few  hundred  yards  from  it,  was  the  present 
cemetery  of  the  Old  Swedes  Church.  For  many 
years  the  great  body  of  the  settlers  clustered  in  their 
habitations  round  the  fort.  All  the  rest  of  the  country 
at  that  time  was  wild  and  uncultivated.  It  is  not  to 
be  supposed,  that  a  people  so  religious  as  the  Swedes, 
would  be  without  a  burial  place.  No  other  graveyard 
was  ever  known  at  that  time  to  be  laid  out  in  the 
vicinity.  The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  Old 
Swedes  Church  said  "  that  it  was  to  be  built  in  and 
upon  the  churchyard  at  Christeen."  This  proves  it 
was  a  burial  place  before  building  the  church.  There 
fore,  judging  from  these  circumstances  the  probabili- 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  169 

ties  are,  that  the  churchyard  of  the  Old  Swedes 
Church,  was  the  first  cemetery  in  Delaware,  and 
that  there  was  buried  'Peter  Minuit  and  Reorus 
Torkillus. 

Minuit  appears  to  have  been  an  energetic,  just  man. 
Acrelius  says,  "  he  did  great  service  to  the  first  Swed 
ish  colony,  during  three  years  he  protected  this  small 
fort  (Christina),  which  (in  his  time)  the  Dutch  never 
attempted.  Vanderdonk,  in  his  description  of  New 
Netherlands,  quotes  of  a  letter  of  Minuit's  whilst 
Governor  at  New  Amsterdam,  which  shows  his  con 
cern  for  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  colony.  He 
tells  us  "  that  Mr.  Minuit  writes  that  he  has  sown 
canary  seed,  and  that  it  grew  and  yielded  well,"  but 
he  adds,  "  that  the  country  is  new,  and  in  a  state  of 
beginning  ;  and  that  the  time  of  the  cultivators  should 
not  be  spent  in  such  experiments,  but  to  the  raising  of 
the  necessaries  of  life ;  of  which,  God  be  praised,  there 
is  plenty  and  to  spare  for  a  reasonable  price.  And 
we  begin  to  supply  provisions  and  drink  in  common 
with  our  Virginia  neighbors,  to  the  West  Indies,  and 
to  the  Carribbee  Islands,  which  we  expect  will  in 
crease  from  year  to  year,  and  in  time  become  a  fine 
trade,  in  connection  with  our  Netherlands  and  Brazil 
commerce."  And  again,  "  Commander  Minuit  testi 
fies  that  cremmin  seed,  canary  seed,  and  the  like 
have  been  tried,1  and  succeed  well,  but  are  not  sought 
after."1  But  little  however  is  known  of  him,  save  a 
few  detached  items  which  we  get  from  the  corres 
pondence  of  the  period. 

1  Vanderdonk's  N.  Y.  His.  Coll.,  pp.  156-160. 


I 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

FROM  1642  TO  1643. 

Peter  Hollendare  succeeds  Minuit  as  Governor  of  New  Sweden,  (Dela 
ware) — lie  returns  to  Sweden — Made  Governor  of  the  Naval 
Arsenal — English  expelled  from  Schuylkill  by  the  Dutch — Col. 
Jno.  Printz  appointed  Governor  of  Now  Sweden — His  instruc 
tions  in  relation  to  the  government  of  the  country — In  relation  to 
the  English — They  were  to  be  removed  if  possible — The  Dutch 
right  to  the  South  Iliver  denied — They  are  not  to  be  allowed  to 
stop  the  Swedes  from  trading  above  Fort  Nassau — If  they  use 
force,  they  are  to  be  repelled  by  force — Savages  to  be  treated 
with  humanity — To  be  instructed  in  the  Christian  religion — 
Goods  to  be  sold  them  lower  than  by  the  Dutch  and  English — 
Fortifications  to  be  erected  to  shut  up  or  command  the  South 
River — Offences  to  be  punished — Death  inflicted  in  some  cases — 
Fisheries  to  be  established — Salt  and  oil  made — Timber  exported 
— Religion  to  be  according  to  the  Augsburg  Confession — Dutch 
allowed  to  hold  the  reformed  faith — Expenses  of  government  of 
New  Sweden. 

F16421  AFTER  the  death  of  Minuit,  Peter  Hollen 
dare  became  Governor  of  the  Swedes  on  the 
Delaware.  He  was  an  officer  of  the  Swedish  army. 
Of  his  character  as  a  governor  nothing  is  known.  He 
held  his  office  for  about  one  year  and  a  half.  He 
then  returned  to  Sweden,  and  was  made  commander 
of  the  Naval  Arsenal  at  Stockholm.  But  little  is 
known  of  his  acts.1 

The  Dutch  at  New  Amsterdam,  now  determined  to 

1  Acrelius,  p.  410 ;  O'Calligan,  vol.  1,  p.  366  ;  Clay,  p.  17. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  171 

expel  the  English  from  the  Schuylkill,  the  settlement 
at  Varken's  kill  or  Salem,  they  appear  at  this  time 
not  to  have  interfered  with.  The  Director  General 
and  Council  at  their  meeting  passed  a  resolution 
which  says,  that  "having  received  unquestionable 
information,  that  some  English  had  the  audacity  to 
land  at  South  River,  opposite  to  our  Fort  Nassau, 
where  they  made  a  beginning  of  settling  on  the 
Schuylkill,  without  any  commission  of  a  potentate, 
which  is  an  affair  of  ominous  consequence,  disrespect 
ful  to  their  High  Mightinesses,  and  injurious  to  the 
interests  of  the  West  India  Company,  as  by  it  their 
commerce  on  the  South  River  might  be  eventually 
ruined:"  Resolved,  "  that  it  is  our  duty  to  drive 
these  English  from  thence,  in  the  best  manner  pos 
sible."  Accordingly  on  the  22d  of  April,  they 
issued  instructions  to  their  commissary  or  governor 
on  the  South  River,  Jan  Jansen  Van  Ilpendam  (called 
by  the  English  John  Johnson),  that  as  soon  as  the 
yacht  Real  and  St.  Martin  should  arrive  at  the  South 
River,  he  was  to  embark  in  either  of  the  two  yachts, 
(or,  if  he  thought  best  in  both  of  them,)  with  such  a 
body  of  men  as  he  could  collect  together,  and  proceed 
towards  the  Schuylkill,  disembark  there  directly,  and 
require  from  the  English  to  show  him  by  what  au 
thority  they  acted,  and  how  they  dared  to  make  such 
an  encroachment  upon  "  the  Dutch  rights  and  privi 
leges,  territory,  and  commerce."  If  they  could  show 
"no  authority  or  royal  commission  to  settle  within," 
the  Dutch  "  limit,"  or  "  an  authentic  copy  of  such  a 
commission,"  then  then  they  were  to  be  compelled 


172  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

'-  to  depart  directly  in  peace,  to  prevent  effusion  of 
blood."  If  they  would  "  not  listen  or  submit,"  then 
"  their  persons"  were  to  be  secured  and  brought  to 
New  Amsterdam.  He  was  instructed  to  be  on  his 
guard,  to  remain  master,  not  to  be'surprised,  and  to 
"  maintain  the  reputation  of  the  High  Mightinesses 
and  the  noble  Directors  of  the  West  India  Company." 
If  the  English  left  the  spot,  or  made  their  escape 
then  he  was  to  destroy  their  improvements,  and  level 
them  "  on  the  spot."  Whilst  he  was  to  take  care 
that  the  English  were  not  injured  in  "  personal  prop 
erty,"  but  that  "in  their  presence"  an  accurate  inven 
tory  should  be  made  of  the  whole.1 

Jan  Jansen  appears  to  have  carried  out  his  instruc 
tions,  and  have  expelled  the  English  from  the  Schuyl- 
kill,  for  the  Dutch  chronicles  are  silent  as  regards  the 
attack  on  the  English  settlers.  The  complaints  of  the 
latter,  however,  are  made  known  in  the  English 
records  at  New  Haven.  They  say  that  notwith 
standing  the  purchases  of  the  English  on  both  sides 
of  the  river,  to  which  they  affirm  neither  the  Dutch 
or  Swedes  had  any  just  title ;  Governor  Kieft,  with 
out  protest  or  warning  sent  armed  men  and  by  force, 
in  a  hostile  manner  burnt  their  trading  house,  seized 
and  for  some  time  detained  the  goods  in  it,  not  suffer 
ing  their  servants  so  much  as  to  take  an  inventory  of 
them.  He  also  seized  their  boat,  and  for  a  while  kept 
their  men  prisoners,  for  which  treatment  they  could 
not  up  to  1650,  get  any  satisfaction.  They  also  as 
sert  that  they  "  attempted  to  seize  Mr.  Lamberton's 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  2,  pp.  162,  164,  165. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  173 

vessel,  or  drive  him  out  of  the  river/'  but  being  on 
his  guard,  he  at  that  time  mrdntained  the  right  and 
honor  of  the  English.  As  he  was  returning  from 
Delaware,  the  Dutch  Governor  at  Manhattan  com 
pelled  Mr.  Lamberton,  who  was  the  agent  at  New 
Haven,  "  by  threatenings  and  force,  to  give  an  ac 
count  of  what  beaver  he  had  traded  for  within  the 
English  limits  at  Delaware,  and  pay  recognitions  for 
them,  against  which  a  protest  sent  from  New  Haven 
was  of  no  avail."  The  damages  done  to  the  English 
at  Delaware  was  estimated  at  ^lOO1  sterling.2 

At  this  time  a  great  sickness  and  mortality  pre 
vailed  among  the  settlers  on  the  Delaware.  It 
affected  both  Swedes  and  English.3 

On  the  16th  of  August,  John  Printz,  a  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  in  the  Swedish  army,  was  appointed  Gov 
ernor  of  New  Sweden.  He  was  the  third  Governor 
of  Delaware.  His  instructions  were  dated  Stockholm, 
the  15th  of  August,  1642,  or  one  day  before  his  ap 
pointment.  His  commission  was  as  follows  :  "  Our 
faithful  subjects  having  commenced  visiting  the  West 
Indies,  and  having  purchased  in  form,  and  already 
occupied  a  considerable  part  of  that  country,  which 
they  have  named  New  Sweden,  in  consequence — as 
their  laudable  project,  the  navigation  which  they  have 
undertaken,  and  the  cultivation  which  they  are  dis 
posed  to  make,  cannot  but  increase  and  facilitate  com 
merce — to  give  them  more  vigor  and  extent,  not  only 

1  About  $500. 

2  Hazard's  Historical  Collection,  vol.  2,  pp.  162,  210. 

3  Winthrop,  vol.  2,  p.  76. 


174  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

have  we  approved  their  design,  and  taken  the  country 
and  its  inhabitants  under  our  royal  protection,  but 
again  to  favor  and  strengthen  the  work  which  they 
have  commenced,  we  have  given  to  the  country  and 
inhabitants,  our  subjects,  a  Governor,  and  have  named 
as  we  do  here,  by  virtue  of  his  Better  patent,  our  very 
faithful  subject,  the  above  named  Lieutenant  of  Cav 
alry,  John  Printz  for  Governor  of  New  Sweden.  He 
engages  to  administer  and  govern  said  country,  and 
to  defend  its  inhabitants  against  all  violence  and  for 
eign  attachment,  and  to  preserve  above  all,  that  coun 
try  in  safe  and  faithful  hands.  He  must  preserve 
amity,  good  neighborhood  and  correspondence  with 
foreigners,  with  those  who  depend  on  his  government 
and  the  natives  of  the  country  ;  render  justice  with 
out  distinction,  so  that  there  shall  be  injury  to  no 
one.  If  any  person  behave  himself  grossly,  he  must 
punish  him  in  a  convenient  manner ;  and  as  regards 
the  cultivation  of  the  country,  he  must  in  a  liberal 
manner  regulate  and  continue  it,  so  that  the  inhabi 
tants  may  derive  from  it  their  honest  support,  and 
even  that  commerce  may  receive  from  it  a  sensible 
increase.  As  to  himself,  he  will  so  conduct  his  gov 
ernment,  as  to  be  willing  and  able  faithfully  to  answer 
for  it  before  God,  before  us,  and  every  brave  Swede, 
regulating  himself  by  the  instructions  given  to  him." 
The  inhabitants  are  required  to  acknowledge  and 
obey  him  as  Governor.1 

His  instructions,  which  he  received  a  day.  earlier, 

1  MS.  Doc.  American  Philosophical  Society,  Reg.  of  Perm.  vol.  4, 
p.  200. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  175 

were  as  follows  :  After  reciting  the   advantages  ex 
pected  to  result  from  "  the   conquering  and  purchas 
ing  the  territory  of  New  Sweden,  and  the  extension 
of  commerce  thereby,"  and  that   "  for  this  laudable 
end,  two  vessels  named   the  '  Stork'   and  the   '  Re 
nown,'  have  been  furnished,"  he  was  instructed  to  go 
to  Gottenberg,  to  embark  from  there,  to  consult  with 
the  captain  and  council  as  to  the  manner  of  the  voy 
age,  the  course  he  should  take,  &c.     When  he  arriyed 
in  Xcw  Sweden,  he  was  to  take  care,  according  to 
the  contract  with  the  savages,  "  that  the  frontiers  of 
the  country  extend  from  the  borders  of  the  sea  to  Cape 
Henlopen,  in  returning  southwest  towards  Godyris  Bay, 
and  thence  towards  the  Great  River,  as  far  as  Minquas 
kitty  ivhere  is  constructed  Fort  Christina,  and  from  thence, 
again  toiuards  South  River,  and   the  whole   to  a  place 
which  the  savages  called  Santickan,  which  is   at  the 
same  time  the  place  where  are  the  limits  of  New 
Sweden.     This   district  or  extent  of  country  may  be 
in  length  about  thirty  German  miles ;  as  to  width  in 
the  interior,  it  has  been  stipulated  in  the  contracts, 
that  the  subjects  of  her  majesty  and  company  may 
take  as   much   of  the   country  as  they  wish."     The 
boundaries  claimed  by  New  Sweden,  were  thus,  from 
Cape  Henlopen  unto  the  city  of  Trenton,  N.  J.,  com 
prising  the  whole  of  Delaware  and  part  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  including  the  ground   on   which  Philadelphia 
now  stands. 

As  .regards  the  English  settled  on  "  Ferkin's  kill," 
as  the  agents  of  the  Company,  as  her  majesty's  sub 
jects  had  bought  from  the  Indian  owners,  the  whole 


176  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

district  from  Cape  May  to  Raccoon  Creek,  with  a  view 
to  unite  these  English  with  the  Swedes;  the  gov 
ernor  was  faithfully  to  perform  the  contract.  His 
instructions  also  say,  that  "she  (the  Queen),  suggests 
that  these  people  are  disposed  to  submit  as  a  free 
people  to  a  sovereign  who  can  protect  and  defend 
them,  and  advises  a  conciliatory  course/'  as  yet,  as 
her  majesty  judges  it  will  be  better  and  more  advan 
tageous  for  Sweden,  for  the  -crown,  and  for  those  in 
terested,  to  be  able  to  disembarrass  themselves  of  it 
honestly,  she  leaves  it  to  the  governor's  discretion,  to 
endeavor  to  find  this  point,  and  for  it  to  work  under 
stand  as  much  as  possible,  with  good  manners  and 
with  success. 

As  regards  the  Dutch.  The  instructions  after  re 
citing  their  claims  to  South  River,  and  stating  that 
they  (the  Dutch),  lay  no  claim  to  the  "western  part 
of  which  the  Swedes  are  in  possession."  After  also 
asserting  that  "  they  undoubtedly  wish  to  appropriate 
to  themselves  the  lands  possessed  by  the  English, 
and  certainly  all  the  eastern  part  of  the  great  South 
River,"  and  have  endeavored  to  prevent  the  Swedes 
from  ascending  above  Fort  Nassau,  he  was  instructed 
"to  comport  himself  towards  them  with  mildness 
and  moderation,"  as  the  Swedes  "only  sought  to 
open  a  free  communication  for  commerce,"  and  had 
"  bought  from  the  natives  that  which  they  possessed 
and  cultivated."  If,  however,  contrary  to  all  hope, 
the  Dutch  should  "  show  any  hostile  intentions,  the 
instructions  say,  "  it  would  be  very  very  proper  to 
be  on  your  guard,  and  repel  force  by  force,"  "  at  so 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  177 

great  a  distance  the  government  leaves  it  much  to 
the  Governor's  discretion."  If  the  Dutch  did  not 
"trouble  him,  he  was  to  maintain  amity  and  good 
neighborhood  with  them,  also  with  those  who  in- 
Imbited  Manhattan  or  New  Amsterdam,,  and  likewise 
with  the  English  who  inhabited  Virginia,  especially  as 
the  latter  had  began  "  to  procure  for  the  Swedes  all 
sorts  of  necessary  provisions,  and  at  reasonable  prices, 
both  for  cattle  and  grain." 

As  to  the  Dutch  who  had  gone  to  New  Sweden, 
and  were  there  established  under  Swedish  protection, 
under  Commandant  Jost  de  Bogardt ;  the  government 
must  show  them  all  good-will,  seeing  that  they  comply 
with  the  conditions  stipulated,  and  also  obey  the 
orders  signified  to  them  this  year,  that  being  estab 
lished  too  near  Fort  Christina  (report  says  only  three 
miles  distant),  they  must  abandon  it,  and  occupy  a 
place  more  distant  from  the  Fort;  but  the  governor 
may  remove  them  or  suffer  them  to  remain  as  he 
finds  expedient. 

He  was  instructed  to  treat  "  the  savages  with  hu 
manity  and  mildness  and  see  that  neither  violence 
nor  injustice  was  done  them,"  but  "  must  labor  to  in 
struct  them  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  the  divine 
service,  and  civilize  them."  He  was  to  "  bring  them 
to  believe  that  the  Swedes  have  not  come  there  to  do 
them  injustice,  but  rather  to  procure  them  what  they 
need,  in  order  to  live  reciprocally  in  common,  and  sell 
and  exchange  provisions."  He  was  instructed  "to 
sell  to  them  at  lower  prices  than  the  Dutch  at  Fort 

Nassau,  or  the  English;  so  as  by  this  means  to  disen- 
12 


178  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

gage  them  from  these  people,  and  accustom  them  more 
to  the  Swedes. 

He  was  also  instructed  to  choose  his  residence 
where  convenient.  To  erect  fortifications  at  Cape 
Henlopen,  James'  Island/  or  any  other  favorable 
position.  The  fortress  erected  was  to  be  able  "  to 
shut  up  the  South  Iliver,"  or  it  must  be  commanded 
by  it.  If,  however,  he  could  protect  himself  with 
Fort  Christina,  he  was  instructed  to  turn  his  attention 
especially  to  agriculture,  sowing  enough  grain  for 
their  support.  He  was  to  attend  to  the  culture  of 
tobacco,'  to  raise  sheep  and  cattle,  to  improve  the 
breed  by  procuring  from  the  English  or  others,  and 
increasing  their  number.  He  was  to  have  "  commis 
saries  to  inspect  the  trade  with  the  Indians,  and  pre 
vent  others  from  trading  with  them."  The  manufac 
ture  of  salt  was  recommended,  also  examinations  for 
"  metals  or  minerals."  He  was  to  reflect  on  what 
was  to  be  done  with  the  superfluous  wood,  whether  it 
could  not  be  used  for  ballast,  whether  oil  could  not 
be  procured  from  the  nut  trees  by  pressure.  Whether 
fisheries,  especially  for  whales,  could  not  be  estab 
lished  as  they  were  especially  numerous  in  Godyn's 
(Delaware)  Bay,  whether  silk  and  silk  worms  might 
not  be  produced  to  advantage. 

Justice  was  to  be  done  in  the  name  of  "  her  ma 
jesty."  "Detailed  and  perfect  instruction  (the  in 
structions  say)  cannot  be  given,  therefore  it  is  left  to 
the  instruction  of  the  Governor,  according  to  circuni- 

1  A  part  of  Camdon  was  formerly  an  island,  and  called  Jaines 
Island.  See  Mickle,  p.  85. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  179 

stances."  Controversies  were  to  be  decided  by  the 
"  laws  and  customs  of  Sweden."  He  had  power  to 
punish  for  offences,  "  great  offenders  by  imprison 
ment,  and  even  with  death,  according  to  the  crime, 
after  legal  forms  and  sufficient  examination  by  the 
most  noted  persons,  such  as  the  most  prudent  as 
sessors  of  justice  that  he  can  find  and  consult  in  the 
country/'  but  "  before  all,"  he  was  "  to  labor  and 
watch  that  he  renders  in  all  things  to  ALMIGHTY  GOD, 
the  true  worship  which  is  his  due."  Divine  service  was 
to  be  "  performed  according  to  the  true  Confession  of 
Augsberg,  the  Council  of  Upsal,  and  the  ceremonies 
of  the  Swedish  Church."  The  Dutch  residing  in 
Swedish  territory,  were  not  to  be  disturbed  in  the 
exercise  of  the  reformed  religion. 

C 

Governor  Printz  was  appointed  for  three  years, 
after  which  he  was  allowed  to  return,  leaving  a  suc 
cessor  or  viceroy  in  his  place,  or  he  might  be  re- 
appointed.  He  was  allowed  1200  silver  dollars  per 
annum,  to  commence  January  1,  1643.1 

The  Swedish  government  at  the  same  time  passed 
an  ordinance  appropriating  2,619  rix  dollars  to  be 
collected  each  year,  from  the  excises  upon  tobacco 
for  the  expenses  of  New  Sweden.  The  following 
were  the  expenses  of  the  military  department,  viz. : 
governor,  1200  silver,  or  800  rix  dollars,  half  silver 
and  half  excise ;  lieutenant  governor,  16  rix  dollars 
per  month;  one  sergeant-major,  10  rix  dollars;  one 
corporal,  6  rix  dollars ;  one  gunner,  8  rix  dollars ;  one 
trumpeter,  6  rix  dollars ;  one  drummer,  5  rix  dollars ; 

1  MS.  American  Philosophical  Society,  Reg.  of  Perm.,  p.  219. 


180  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

twenty-four  soldiers,  at  4  rix  dollars  ;  one  paymaster, 
10  rix  dollars;  one  secretary,  8  rix  dollars;  one 
barber,1 10  rix  dollars ;  one  provost,  6  rix  dollars,  and 

one 4  rix  dollars ;  making  185  rix  dollars  per 

month,  or  3020  rix  dollars  per  annum. 


Surgeons  were  then  called  barbers. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FROM  1642  TO  1643. 

Governor  Printz  sails  from  Stockholm,  for  New  Sweden,  in  the  ships 
Renown  and  Stork — Arrival  in  the  Delaware — Storm  in  the  Bay 
—The  Renown  runs  aground — Arrival  at  Fort  Christina — Rev. 
Jno.  Campanius — He  builds  Fort  Gottenburg — A  mansion  and 
church  on  Tinicum  Island — He  builds  Fort  Elfsberg — De  Tries' 
compelled  to  strike  his  flag  at  Fort  Elfsburg — Great  size  of  Printz — 
Drunkenness  of  Swedes — Printz  expels  the  English  from  Salem 
Creek — Takes  Lamberton  prisoner — Persuades  Lamberton's  men 
to  accuse  Lamberton  of  exciting  Indians  against  Swedes — Lam 
berton's  men  refuse  to  do  so — They  are  placed  in  irons — Lamberton 
pays  beaver  to  get  his  liberty — Printz  abuses  the  English — Dutch 
assist  the  Swedes  in  expelling  the  English — Lamberton  complains 
to  the  Court  at  New  Haven — Governor  Winthrop  requested  to  write 
to  Swedes  and  Dutch — Vagabonds  and  malfactors  sent  to  New 
Sweden — They  are  prevented  from  landing — Mortality  among 
them  on  their  return — Erection  of  Fort  Schuylkill — Fort  King- 
sessing — Fort  Korsholm  by  the  Swedes  at  Passyunk — They  stop 
the  trade  of  the  Dutch  on  the  Schuylkill. 

Ox  the  IGth  of  August,  Governor  Printz  sailed 
from  Stockholm,  for  New  Sweden,  in  the  ship  Re 
nown,1  accompanied  by  the  Stork.  They  took  a 
southerly  route,  sailing  by  the  Portugese  and  Bar- 
bary  coast,  passing  the  Canary  Islands,  arriving  at 
Antigua  on  the  20th  of  December.  There  they  spent 
their  Christmas  holidays,  and  were  well  entertained 

1  Campanius  calls  it  the  Fame.  We  have  preferred  to  go  by  the 
instructions  to  Printz,  and  call  it  the  Renown.  Other  writers  speak 
of  the  two  vessels  as  the  Fame,  and  the  Charitas. 


182  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Governor's  house.1  On  the  3d  of  Janu 


rifU31 

ary  they  left  Antigua,  and  sailing  by  way  of 

St.  Christopher,  St.  Martin's  and  other  West  India 
Islands,  on  the  24th  of  the  same  month  found  bottom, 
and  on  the  25th  saw  land  on  their  left.  On  the  26th 
they  were  in  the  bay  off  the  Whorekill  (Sussex  county), 
and  on  that  and  the  27th  experienced  a  severe  storm, 
accompanied  with  snow,  when  the  Renown  was  run 
aground  and  lost  three  large  anchors,  a  spritsail,  and 
the  mainmast,  and  experienced  other  damages.  On 
the  15th  of  February  they  arrived  at  Fort  Christina. 
They  were  five  months  or  150  days  on  their  passage, 
from  the  time  they  left  Stockholm,  until  they  arrived 
at  Fort  Christina.  With  this  expedition  came  a 
clergyman  named  John  Campanius  Holm,  more  gene 
rally  called  Campanius  ;  rendered  celebrated  from 
being  the  first  to  translate  Luther's  catechism  into  the 
Indian  language.  Also  from  keeping  a  journal  of 
his  visit  to  New  Sweden,  from  which  his  grandson 
Thomas  Campanius  Holm,  wrote  his  celebrated  "  De 
scription  of  the  Province  of  New  Sweden."2 

1  Campanius.     * 

2  John  Campanius  Holm  was  born  at  Stockholm,  on  the   15th  of 
Angust,  1001.     His  father  was  Jonas  Peter,  clerk  of  the  congrega 
tion  of  St.  Clara.     He  went  through  his  studies  with  great  reputation, 
and  was  for  a  long  time  preceptor  in  the  Orphan's  House,  at  Stock 
holm.     On  the  3d  of  February,  1642,  he  was  called  by  the  govern 
ment  to  accompany  Governor  Printz  to  America,  where  he  remained 
six  years  pastor  of  the  congregation  there.     On  his  return  home,  he 
was  made  first  preacher  of  the  Admiralty,  and  afterwards  was  pastor 
of  Frost  Hultz  and  Herenwys  Uplandt,  where  he  translated  Luther's 
catechism,  with  other  things,  into  the  American  Virginia  (Indian) 
language,  a  work  which  he  had  begun   in  America,  and  which  he 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  183 

Governor  Printz,  soon  after  he  landed,  agreeable  to 
his  instructions,  selected  a  site  for  his  residence,  and 
commenced  the  erection  of  fortifications  to  command 
the  river.  At  a  place  called  by  the  Indians  Tena- 
cong  (now  called  Tinicum),  a  short  distance  above 
where  Chester  now  stands,  lying  between  Darby  and 
Crurn  Creeks,  he  found  a  beautiful  piece  of  land,  with 
a  hi<rh  bold  shore.  It  is  now  the  Lazaretto,  used  to 

O  s 

quarantine  vessels  bound  for  Philadelphia  with  infec 
tious  diseases  on  board.  It  was  then,  as  now,  an 
island,  having  the  Delaware  on  ths  east,  Darby  Creek 
on  the  south  and  west,  and  on  the  north,  a  sound  or 
branch  passing  across  a  morass,  and  connecting  Darby 
Creek  with  the  Delaware  near  Fort  Mifflin.1  Here 
Printz  built  a  fort  which  he  named  Fort  Gottenberg, 
also  a  mansion.  The  fort  was  constructed  by  laying 
very  heavy  hemlock  logs,  the  one  on  the  other,  and 
was  "  pretty  strong."2  The  mansion  for  himself  and 
his  family,  was  "  very  handsome"  ;  there  was  likewise 
a  fine  orchard,  a  pleasure  house,  and  other  conveni 
ences.  He  called  it  "  Printz  Hall."  On  this  island, 
the  principal  inhabitants  (afterwards)  had  their  dwel 
lings  and  plantations.  A  church  was  also  erected 
there,  which,  on  the  4th  of  September,  1646,  Dr. 
John  Campanius  consecrated  for  divine  service,  and 
also  its  burying  place.3 

here  perfected.  He  died  on  the  17th  of  September,  1G83,  at  the  age 
of  82.  and  was  buried  in  the  church  of  Frost  Hultz,  where  a  hand 
some  monument  was  erected  in  the  choir  to  his  memory. — Campanius. 

1  Ferris,  p.  62. 

2  Hudde's  Report,  N.  J.  His.  Society  Mem.,  p.  420. 

3  Campanius,   p.   79.     Ferris  says,  this  hall  stood  more  than  120 


184  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

This  fort  controlled  the  access  of  the  Dutch  to 
Fort  Nassau.  The  same  year  he  erected  another  fort 
at  Varkenkill,  afterwards  called  by  the  English,  Salem 
Creek.  It  was  called  Elfsberg  or  Wootsessung,1  after 
wards  known  by  the  name  of  Elsinburg  or  Elsinboro. 
It  was  erected  at  the  south  side  of  the  creek  at  its 
junction  with  the  Delaware.2  Hudde  says,  "  It  was 
usually  garrisoned  by  twelve  men,  commanded  by  a 
lieutenant.  It  had  eight  iron  and  brass  guns,  and  one 
potshoof.3 

The  main  object  of  this  fort  was  to  visit  the  Dutch 
vessels,  and  oblige  them  to  lower  their  colors  as  they 
sailed  up  the  Delaware,  which  greatly  "aifronted 
them."4  Peterson  De  Vries,  the  energetic  projector 
of  the  unfortunate  colony  at  Lewestown,  was  fired  at, 
as  he  sailed  up  the  Delaware,  in  the  month  of  October 
of  this  year,  and  was  ordered  to  strike  his  flag.  He 
says  the  fort  was  commanded  by  Captain  Printz, 
"  who  weighed  upwards  of  four  hundred  pounds,  and 
drank  three  drinks  at  every  meal."  He  describes 
the  Swedes  "  as  not  very  sober,  as  they  bought  from 
the  captain  of  the  vessel,  a  good  quantity  of  wine  and 
sweetmeats,  and  that  neither  here  nor  in  Virginia, 
was  intoxication  punished  by  whipping.5 

Either  shortly  afterwards  or  previous  to  building 
this  fort,  Printz  succeeded  in  expelling  the  English, 

years,  and  was  at  last  burnt  down  by  accident,  since  the  commence 
ment  of  the  present  century,  p.  70. 

1  Campanius.  2  Ferris. 

3  Iludde,  p.  429.  *  Acrelius,  p.  412. 

5  De  Vries,  p.  273.     Hazard  thinks  this  was  not  Governor  Printz 
but  a  relative.     Hazard's  Annals,  p.  73. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  185 

who  were  settled  on  Varkenkill,  under  Lamberton. 
He  attacked  them  and  burnt  down  their  trading 
house,  and  by  surreptitious  means,  succeeded  in  mak 
ing  Lamberton  a  prisoner.1  Lamberton  was  in  his  pin 
nace  named  the  "  Cock,"  at  anchor  about  three  miles 
above  Fort  Elfsberg,  when  a  letter  was  brought  by  two 
Swedes  from  Printz,  ("  Tim,  the  barber,  and  Godfrey 
the  merchant's  man,")  stating  that  the  Indians  had  that 
day  stolen  a  gold  chain  from  his  wife,  and  that  those 
Indians  were  about  trading  with  Lamberton,  and  that 
he  desired  his  good  offices  to  get  it  back.  He  also 
desired  Lamberton  "  to  stay  on  board  until  the  next 
morning,"  affirming,  that  "  he  would  know  the  Indian 
that  stole  it  by  a  mark  that  'he  had  on  his  face."  No 
Indians  however,  came  on  board.  Lamberton  after 
wards  calling  at  the  Swedish  fort,  where,  it  is  sup 
posed,  he  went  in  obedience  to  a  request  from  a 
second  letter  from  Printz,  was  arrested,  in  company 
with  Jno.  Woollen,  his  Indian  interpreter,  and  John 
Thickpenny,  and  placed  in  prison.  Woollen  was  put 
in  irons.  Printz  himself  fastening  them  on  his  legs. 
It  is  asserted  that  Printz'  wife,  and  Timothy  the  bar 
ber  (surgeon),  endeavored  to  get  Woollen  intoxicated, 
by  giving  him  a  quantity  of  wine  and  beer  to  drink, 
and  that  immediately  after  drinking  the  liquors,  he 
was  conveyed  to  Printz,  who,  "  with  professions  of  a 
great  deal  of  love  to  him,  making  many  large  prom 
ises  to  do  him  good,"  endeavored  to  get  him  to  say, 
"  that  George  Lamberton  had  hired  the  Indians  to  cut 
off  the  Swedes."  Woollen  denied  that  Lamberton  had 

1  Rudman,  Swedish  Records  at  Wicaco. 


186  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

any  such  intention.  The  governor  then  "  drunk  to 
him  again/'  and  said,  "  he  would  make  him  a  man, 
give  him  a  plantation,  and  build  him  a  house,  and  that 
he  should  not  want  for  gold  and  silver,"  provided  he 
made  the  accusation  against  Lamberton.  But  Woollen 
still  refusing  to  accuse  Lamberton,  the  governor  was 
much  enraged,  and  stamped  with  his  feet,  and  calling 
for  irons,  "  he  put  them  upon  Woollen  with  his  own 
hands,  and  sent  him  down  to  prison."  It  is  also  as 
serted,  that  the  watchmaster  and  Gregory,  the  mer 
chant's  man,  endeavored  to  get  John  Thickpenny  to 
accuse  Lamberton  of  plotting  with  the  Indians  to  cut 
off  the  Swedes.1  But  Thickpenny  refused  to  make 
any  such  accusation. 

Lamberton  before  he  regained  his  liberty,  had  to  pay 
a  "  weight  of  beaver"  to  Printz.  Printz  also  expelled 
all  the  English  that  would  not  take  the  oath  of  alle 
giance  to  the  crown  of  Sweden.  He  also  railed  at  the 
English  in  a  very  intemperate  manner.  He  cursed, 
swore,  and  reviled  at  them,  calling  them  English  rene 
gades.  The  Dutch  assisted  the  Swedes  in  the  expul 
sion  of  the  English  from  Varcken's  (or  Cohansey) 
Creek.  Complaint  of  these  outrages  were  made  by 
Mr.  Lamberton,  to  the  court  of  New  Haven,  which  met 
on  the  2d  of  August.  They  were  substantiated  by  the 
oath  of  John  Thickpenny,  one  of  Lamberton's  sailors. 
The  Court  requested  the  President  Governor  Win- 
throp,  to  write  to  both  the  Dutch  and  Swedish  gov 
ernors,  expressing  particulars,  and  requiring  satisfac- 

1  Deposition  of  John  Thickpenny,  New  Haven  Colonial  Records, 
rol.  1,  pp.  97-99. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  187 

tion ;  and  professing,  that  as  they  would  not  wrong 
others  so,  they  may  not  desert  their  confederate  in  a 
just  cause.1  A  commission  was  also  given  to  Mr. 
Lamberton,  to  go  and  treat  with  the  Swedish  govern 
ment,  about  those  injuries  and  damages,  and  to  agree 
with  him  about  settling  their  trade  and  plantation. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  Reorus  Torkillus,  the 
first  preacher  in  this  State,  or  on  the  Delaware,  died. 
He  was  born  in  West  Gothland,  in  the  year  1608. 
After  going  through  his  studies,  he  was  made  pro 
fessor  of  a  college  at  Gottenberg,  and  was  afterwards 
chaplain  to  the  superintendent,  Andrew  Printz,  who 
was  probably  a  relation  to  Governor  John  Printz. 
He  fell  sick  on  the  23d  of  February.2  He  married 
one  of  the  residents  of  New  Sweden  (Delaware), 
by  whom  he  had  one  child,  whose  descendants  may 
possibly  still  be  living  amongst  us,  under  an  anglicized 
name.  His  death  and  burial  have  been  before  men 
tioned. 

About  this  time,  a  number  of  robbers  and  malefac 
tors  were  sent  from  Sweden,  to  settle  on  the  Dela 
ware.  Campanius  speaking  of  them,  says :  "  The 
generality  of  people  who  went  or  were  sent  over  from 
Sweden  to  America,  were  of  two  kinds.  The  princi 
pal  of  them  consisted  of  the  company's  servants,  who 
were  employed,  by  them  in  various  capacities;  the 
others  were  those  who  went  over  to  that  country  to 
better  their  fortunes ;  they  enjoyed  several  privileges  ; 
they  were  at  liberty  to  build  and  settle  themselves 


1  Hazard's  His.  Coll.,  vol.  2,  p.  11. 

2  Campanius. 


188  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

•where  they  thought  proper,  and  to  return  home  when 
they  pleased.  By  way  of  distinction,  they  were  called 
freemen.  There  was  a  third  class,  consisting  of  vaga 
bonds  and  malefactors;  these  were  to  remain  in  slavery, 
and  were  employed  in  digging  the  earth,  throwing  up 
trenches,  and  erecting  walls  and  other  fortifications. 
The  others  had  no  intercourse  with  them,  but  a  par 
ticular  spot  was  appointed  for  them  to  reside  upon." 
"  In  the  beginning  of  Governor  Printz's  administra 
tion,  there  came  'a  great  number  of  those  criminals, 
who  were  sent  over  from  Sweden.  When  the  Eu 
ropean  inhabitants  perceived  it,  they  would  not  suffer 
them  to  set  their  foot  on  shore,  but  they  were  all  obliged 
to  return,  so  that  a  great  many  of  them  perished  on 
the  voyage.  It  was  after  this  forbidden,  under  a 
penalty,  to  send  any  more  criminals  to  America,  lest 
Almighty  God  should  let  his  vengeance  fall  on  the 
ships,  and  goods,  and  the  virtuous  people  that  were 
on  board ;  it  was  said,  that  there  was  no  scarcity  of 
good  and  honest  people  to  settle  that  country ;  but 
such  a  great  number  of  them  had  gone  thither  (as 
engineer  Lindstrom  says),  that  on  his  departure  from 
hence,  more  than  a  hundred  families  of  good  and  hon 
est  men,  with  their  wives  and  children,  were  obliged 
to  remain  behind,  as  the  ship  had  taken  as  many  on 
board  as  she  could  hold,  and  yet  these  honest  people  had 
sold  all  their  property,  and  converted  it  into  money, 
not  imagining  that  they  could  be  so  disappointed."1 

1  Campanius,  pp.  73,  74.  He  says,  "  This  was  related  to  me  amongst 
other  things,  by  an  old  trustworthy  man,  named  Nils  Matson  Utter, 
who,  after  his  return  home,  served  in  his  majesty's  life  guards. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  189 

0 

On  the  2d  of  November,  John  Papegoy,  who  had 
previously  been  to  New  Sweden,  received  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  Governor  Printz,  from  the  Swedish 
government.  The  letter  recommended  his  employ 
ment,  protection,  and  advancement.  He  afterwards 
marrried  Printz's  daughter,  and  succeeded  Printz  as 
governor  of  New  Sweden,  until  the  arrival  of  John 
Claudi  Rising.  On  the  6th  of  November  of  the  same 
year,  Queen  Christina  granted  New  Gottenberg  or 
Tinicum  Island  to  Printz. 

In  pursuance  of  his  plan  to  fortify  all  important 
points  on  the  Delaware,  and  "  shut  up  the  river," 
Printz  erected  a  fortification  on  the  Schuylkill.  This 
river  was  so  named  by  the  Dutch.  In  their  language 
it  means  "  hidden  creek,  or  Sculk  Creek,"  from  the 
retired  and  hidden  situation  of  its  mouth.  This  fort 
was  built  on  an  island  in  that  river,  within  gunshot 
of  its  mouth.  Ferris  says:  "At  that  time,  all  the 
great  meadows  extending  from  the  high  point  of  land 
at  Bartram's  Botanic  Garden,  (this  garden  does  not 
now  exist,)  in  a  southerly  course  to  the  Delaware, 
were  under  water.  When  the  tide  was  at  its  highest 
point,  vessels  drawing  four  or  five  feet  water,  could 
sail  from  Fort  Gottenberg,  or  Tinicum  Island,  across 
the  meadows  to  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill;  which, 
at  that  period,  opened  just  below  the  said  garden,  the 
south  point  of  which  was  one  of  its  capes.  Just 
above  the  elevated  point,  on  which  stands  Bartram's 
old  mansion  house,  and  through  which,  by  a  deep  cut, 
walled  on  both  sides,  the  Philadelphia,  Wilmington 
and  Baltimore  Railroad  passes ;  there  is,  on  the  pre- 


190  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

sent  margin  of  the  Schuylkill,  a  cluster  of  rocks,  con 
siderably  elevated  above  the  water,  and  partly  covered 
with  earth  and  forest  trees.  Between  these  rocks 
and  what  was  once  the  shore,  close  by  the  railroad, 
there  is  a  piece  of  meadow  land  more  than  two  hun 
dred  yards  wide ;  which,  in  Governor  Printz's  time 
was  under  water,  and  constituted  part  of  the  river 
Schuylkill.  That  cluster  of  rocks  and  the  earth  con 
nected  with  them,  formed  the  island  on  which  Printz 
built  the  fort  as  aforesaid.1  This  fort  was  named 
Fort  Manayunk,  or  Schuylkill.  It  was  a  handsome 
little  fort,  built  of  logs,  filled  up  with  sand  and  stones, 
and  surrounded  with  palisades,  cut  very  sharp  at  the 
top.  It  was  mounted  with  great  guns."2  He  also 
built  a  fort,  or  "  strong  house"  at  "  Chinsessing," 
(Kingsessing.)  This  was  called  the  "  New  Fort."  "  It 
was  not  properly  a  fort,  but  substantial  log  houses, 
built  of  good  strong,  hard,  hickory,  two  stories  high, 
which  was  sufficient  to  secure  the  people  from  the 
Indians."  "  In  this  settlement  there  lived  five  free 
men,  who  cultivated  the  land  and  did  very  well."3 
This  fort  was  situated  a  little  below  the  former  fort, 
He  also  built  a  fort  named  "  Korsholm,"  at  Passa- 
yunk,  in  the  same  neighborhood.  The  tract  of  land 
on  which  this  fort  was  built,  was  granted  by  the 
Swedish  crown  to  lieutenant  Swen  Schute,  who  after 
wards  surrendered  Fort  Trinity,  or  rather  Fort  Cassi- 
mer  to  the  Dutch.  He  was  its  commandant.  "  After 
Governor  Printz's  departure  for  Sweden,  it  was  aban- 

1  Ferris'  Original  Settlements  on  the  Delaware,  pp.  70,  7L 

2  Campanius,  p.  80.  3  Ibid. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  191 

doned  by  the  Swedes,  and  afterwards  burnt  and  de 
stroyed  by  the  Indians."1  Printz  also  constructed 
about  half  a  mile  in  the  woods,  at  "  Karakung,"  other 
wise  called  the  Water  Mill  Stream,  a  "  fine  mill,  which 
ground  both  coarse  and  fine  flour."  This  was  the 
first  mill  erected  on  the  Delaware.  "  There  was  no 
fort  near  it,  but  only  a  strong  dwelling  house,  built 
of  hickory,  and  •inhabited  by  freemen.  This  mill, 
Ferris  supposes,  was  on  Cobb's  Creek  which  flows 
into  Darby  Creek.  The  site,  it  is  supposed  was  on 
some  rocks,  just  above  the  bridge  where  the  Phila 
delphia  road  crosses  that  stream."  The  Dutch  com 
pany's  carpenter  assisted  the  Swedes  in  the  erection 
of  one  of  these  forts.  One  of  the  trading  houses  of 
the  Swedes,  was  also  built  right  before  the  Dutch 
Company's  fort  of  Beversreede,  not  being  a  rod  from 
the  gate.2 

From  the  above,  we  should  judge  the  Dutch  Com 
pany's  employes  were  unfaithful  to  their  interests. 
The  conduct  of  the  Swedish  governor  was  also  ex 
tremely  insolent  and  tyrannical. 

The  erection  of  these  forts,  enabled  the  Swedes 
effectually  to  control  the  trade  of  the  Schuylkill,  the 
only  remaining  avenue  for  them  to  trade  with  the 
Minquas,  without  which  trade,  says  the  Dutch  com 
missioner,  Hudde,  (who  then  had  command  of  the 
Dutch  fort  on  the  Delaware,)  this  (the  Delaware) 
river  is  of  little  value.3 

1  Campanius.  2  Holl.  Doc.,  p.  32,  50. 

3  Hudde'-s  Report,  p.  429. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

FROM  1643  TO  1648. 

Winthrop  writes  to  Printz,  complaining  of  the  treatment  of  the  Eng 
lish  settlers — Printz  denies  the  bad  treatment — Expresses  good 
feeling — Mr.  Eaton  asserts  that  English  can  settle  on  Delaware, 
on  securing  new  commission — Expedition  from  Boston  to  Dela 
ware  to  discover  Lake  Lynconnia — Jealousy  of  Dutch  and  Swedes 
— Drunkenness  of  the  English  captain — Swedish  vessel  from 
Delaware  compelled  to  pay  duty  in  Holland — Birth  of  William 
Penn — Queen  Christina  assumes  the  government  of  Sweden — 
Capture  of  an  English  vessel  and  murder  of  her  crew — Removal 
of  the  Dutch  governor,  Jan  Jansen — Appointment  of  Andreas 
Iludde — Destruction  of  Fort  Gottenberg — Dutch  vessel  driven 
from  the  Schuylkill — Protest  of  Hudde-  Dutch  endeavor  to  as- 

|  cend  the  Delaware  above  the  falls — Are  prevented  by  Indians 
through  machinations  of  the  Swedes — Grant  of  land  opposite 
Reedy  Island  in  Delaware — President  Eaton  of  New  Haven  com 
plains  to  Kieft  of  outrages  to  English  on  the  Delaware — Dutch 
purchase  land  from  Indians  on  site  of  Philadelphia — Erect 
Dutch  arms  upon  it — They  are  pulled  down  by  the  Swedes,  who 
protest  against  the  purchase — Hudde' s  counter  protest — Insult 
to  the  messenger — Bad  treatment  of  Dutch  by  Swedes — George 
Lambert  drowned — Stuyvesant  appointed  Governor  of  New 
Netherlands — He  writes  a  complimentary  letter  to  the  Governor 
of  Massachusetts  and  New  Haven — Claims  of  the  Dutch — Quar 
rels  between  Swedes  and  Dutch — Swedes  accused  of  inciting 
savages  against  the  Dutch — Vulgar  language  of  Printz  to  Hudde 
— He  takes  powder  and  shot  from  a  Dutch  vessel — Vessels  arrive 
from  Sweden — Swedish  tobacco  ordinance — Swedish  vessel  re 
fuses  to  show  her  colors  at  Fort  Nassau — Swedes  build  on  Schuyl 
kill — Dutch  receive  grant  of  land  from  Indian  sachems — Sachems 
tell  Swedes  they  have  no  right  to  the  land,  but  the  Dutch  have — 
Dutch  attempt  to  build — Are  driven  off  by  the  Swedes— Com 
missioners  sent  from  New  Amsterdam — Their  impolite  treatment 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  193 

by  Printz — They  protest  against  the  Swedish  outrages  on  the 
Schuylkill  —  Further  outrages  by  Swedes — They  drive  away 
Dutch  citizens,  and  threaten  them  with  beating — Swedes  build 
a  house  in  front  of  Dutch  fort  of  Beversreede — Murder  of  Swedes 
by  Indians. 

AGREEABLE  to  the  instructions  of  the  court, 
held  at  New  Haven,  Governor  Winthrop  ^ 
wrote  to  Printz  in  relation  to  his  treatment  of  Mr. 
Lamberton.  Printz  wrote  back,  denying  the  whole 
matter,  "using  at  the  same  tim;  large  expressions"  of 
his  "respect"  to  the  English,  and  particularly  to  the 
" New  Haven  colon?/"  He  also  sent  copies,  on  oath, 
of  the  "  examination  taken  in  the  case,  with  a  copy 
of  all  the  proceedings  between  them  "  and  the  English 
who  had  settled  on  the  Delaware  from  New  Haven. 
These  letters1  were  laid  before  the  Court  of  the  United 
Colonies  of  New  England,  which  met  at  Boston  on 
the  7th  of  March.  It  was  also  stated  by  Mr.  Eaton 
that  Printz  requested  to  be  shown  a  copy  of  the  New 
England  patent,  and  that  he  told  the  agent  of  the 
Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  that  upon  a 
new  commission  from  them  he  would  allow  the  Eng 
lish  to  go  on  with  their  plantations  on  the  Delaware 
Bay  and  River.  This  commission  was  granted.2 

An  expedition  was  sent  from  Boston  to  the  Dela 
ware  to  discover  the  great  lake  Lynconnia,  which  it 
was  supposed  laid  northwest  of  the  New  England 
patent,  and  could  be  reached  by  sailing  up  the  Dela 
ware  Iliver.  It  was  supposed  that  the  great  beaver 
trade  "from  the  eastern  and  southern  ports" 

1  No  copies  of  these  letters  are  now  in  existence. 

2  Winthrop,  vol.  2,  p.  257. 


194  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

from  thence.  They  intended  to  sail  in  their  pinnace, 
which  was  well  manned  and  supplied  with  provisions 
and  "  trading  stuff/'  "  as  high  up  as  they  could  go, 
and  then  some  of  the  company  under  the  conduct  of 
Mr.  William  Aspinwall,  a  good  artist,  and  one  who 
had  been  in  these  parts,  to  pass,  by  small  skiffs  or 
canoes,  up  the  river  as  far  as  they  could."  They 
took  with  them  letters  both  to  Printz  and  Jan  Jansen, 
the  Dutch  governor.  The  Dutch  allowed  them  to  go 
up,  telling  them,  however,  they  would  have  to  pro 
test  against  them  for  their  own  interests.  But  the 
Swedes  brought  them  too  by  a  shot  from  one  of  their 
forts.  Aspinwall  at  once  landed,  and  remonstrated 
with  the  Swedish  governor,  who  "  acknowledged  he 
had  acted  ill,  and  promised  all  favor."  Both  the 
Swedish  and  Dutch  governors  allowed  them  to  pro 
ceed  up  the  Delaware,  but  neither  would  allow  them 
to  trade,  and  each  appointed  a  pinnace  to  attend 
theirs.  "  But  the  master  of  the  vessel  proved  such  a 
drunken  sot,  and  so  complied  with  the  Dutch  and 
Swedes,  that  they  feared  that  when  they  had  left  the 
vessel  to  have  gone  up  to  the  lake  in  a  small  boat,  he 
in  his  drunkenness  would  have  betrayed  their  goods 
to  the  Dutch,  whereupon  they  gave  over  and  returned 
home."  The  Swedish  lieutenant  made  them  pay  forty 
shillings  for  the  shot  he  fired  at  them  before  they 
left  the  river.1 

Both  the  Swedes  and  Dutch  were  extremely 
jealous  of  the  pertinaceous  attempts  of  the  English  to 
settle  on  the  Delaware ;  and  both  used  their  utmost 

1  Winthrop,  vol.  2,  p.  101,  179,  1ST. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  195 

endeavors  to  prevent  them.  They  were  between  the 
English  of  Virginia  on  the  one  side,  and  New  England 
on  the  other,  both  swarming  with  population.  They 
knew  that  the  English  claimed  the  Delaware,  and 
that  if  they  once  got  a  foothold  they  could  not  be 
expelled.  Hence  the  not  unnatural  desire  to  prevent 
them  making  any  permanent  lodgment. 

The  ship  Fame  (or  Renown),  that  brought  Printz 
over,  and  the  Key  of  Calmar.  the  first  vessel  that 
brought  the  Swedes  to  settle  at  Fort  Christina,  sailed 
from  the  Delaware  for  Sweden  with  valuable  cargoes. 
From  some  cause  they  were  compelled  to  put  into  the 
province  of  Friedland,  where  duties  were  demanded 
from  them  by  the  Dutch,  as  sovereigns  of  the  terri 
tory  in  which  New  Sweden  was  situated.  A  long 
correspondence  took  place  between  the  Swedish 
minister  at  the  Hague,  and  the  State  General  in  re 
gard  to  the  claims  of  both  parties  to  South  River. 
The  cargoes  were  finally  liberated  by  the  payment  of 
an  impost  duty  of  eight  per  cent,  under  protest. 
These  vessels  had  on  board  2,127  packages  of  beaver, 
and  70,421  pounds  of  tobacco.1 

On  the  14th  of  October,  William  Penn,  who  re 
ceived  a  grant  of  the  State  of  Delaware  from  the  Duke 
of  York,  and  who  was  the  founder  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  born  in  London.  Queen  Christina  also  assumed 
the  government  of  Sweden  this  year. 

The  English  at  Boston,  undeterred  by  the  bad  suc 
cess  of  the  expedition  under  Mr.  Aspinwall,  again 
fitted  out  ah  expedition  to  the  Delaware,  which  ended 

1  O'CaL,  vol.  1,  p.  371. 


196  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

still  more  disastrously.  They  had  procured  a  good 
supply  of  beaver,  when  some  Indians  who  were  trad 
ing  with  them  suddenly  drew  out  hatchets  from  under 
their  coats,  and  killed  the  master  and  three  others, 
and  took  away  a  man  and  a  boy.  The  man  saved 
was  named  Redman,  and  he  understood  their  language. 
The  Indians  gave  him  a  large  portion  of  the  goods. 
He  lived  amongst  them  for  five  or  six  weeks,  when 
Printz  got  Indians  to  go  and  fetch  him,  and  then  sent 
him  to  Boston,  where  he  was  tried  for  betraying  his 
companions,  but  acquitted.1 

Jau  Jansen  Van  Ilpendan,  the  Dutch 
C°J  governor  on  the  Delaware,  was,  on  the  12th 
of  October,  removed  upon  the  charge  of  fraud,  and 
Andreas  Hudde  appointed  in  his  place.  Jansen  ap 
pears  to  have  neglected  the  Dutch  interests,  and 
played  into  the  hands  of  the  Swedes,  as  instanced  by 
his  allowing  his  carpenter  to  assist  in  building  for  the 
Swedes  the  fort  that  cut  off  the  Dutch  trade.2 

In  December,  Fort  Gotten  berg  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  all  the  powder  and  goods  blown  up.  It 
happened  by  a  servant  leaving  a  candle  burning  in 
the  nightr  whilst  he  fell  asleep. 

This  year  commenced  a  series  of  disputes 
between  the  Dutch  and  Swedes,  which  finally 
ended  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Swedish  power  on  the 
Delaware.  Andreas  Hudde  was  now  the  Dutch 
commissary  or  governor  on  the  Delaware,  a  more 
active,  energetic,  and  pertinaceous  man  than  Jan 
Jansen,  as  well  as  far  more  faithful  to  the  interest  of 

1  Winthrop,  vol.  2,  p..  237.  2  Albany  Records.     Acrelius. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  197 

his  employers.  Determined  to  get  some  of  the  trade 
of  the  Minquas  on  the  Sehuylkill,  he  ordered  Captain 
Blancke,  the  commander  of  a  sloop  that  had  just 
arrived  from  Manhattan,  to  ascend  the  Schuylkill  for 
the  purpose  of  trading  with  the  natives.  Blancke 
was  immediately  warned  off  by  the  Swedes.  Refus 
ing  to  go,  the  next  day  Printz  sent  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  to  Hudde  (probably  Campanius)  who  informed 
him  that  if  the  bark  was  in  the  Schuylkill,  "  he 
should  compel  her  to  leave  it."  Hudde  claimed  the 
right  to  trade  in  any  part  of  the  Delaware,  and  pro 
tested  against  any  losses  or  hindrances  that  might 
arise  from  the  proceedings  of  the  Swedes.  After  an 
angry  altercation  between  Hudde  and  some  Swedish 
officers  sent  by  Printz,  in  which  Hudde  remarked  that 
"  he  would  remain  and  see  who  would  be  so  daring  as 
to  drive"  him  "  away,"  Printz  sent  a  letter  to  Captain 
Blancke,  ordering  him  to  leave  the  Schuylkill,  "  and 
seek  the  spot  where  sloops  are  usually  accustomed  to 
trade,"  under  penalty  of  forfeiting  both  his  vessel  and 
cargo.  The  Dutch  captain  therefore  left,1  as  he  was 
ignorant  of  the  causes  of  the  dispute  between  the 
Dutch  and  the  Swedes,  and,  being  a  private  person, 
if  his  vessel  and  cargo  were  forfeited  it  would  be  a 
difficult  task  to  recover  them. 

Hudde  now  infused  great  activity  into  the  Dutch 
affairs,  and  appears  to  have  made  every  endeavor  to 
extend  the  Dutch  influence  and  dominion.  He  en 
deavored  to  ascend  the  Delaware  above  the  falls,  in 
obedience  to  instructions  from  Manhattan  to  look  for 

1  See  Iludde's  Report,  Albany  Records,  vol.  1,  pp.  429,  451. 


198  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

minerals,  but  was  prevented  by  the  Indians,  who 
told  him  that  the  Swedes  had  informed  them  that  the 
Dutch  were  coming  from  Manhattan  with  two  hundred 
and  fifty  men  to  kill  all  the  savages  below  the  river, 
and  erect  a  fort  that  would  prevent  the  savages  above 
from  coming  to  their  assistance.  In  proof  of  this  they 
said  the  Swedes  had  also  told  them  that  the  Dutch 
"would  first  come  up  in  a  small  vessel  and  explore 
the  spot,  and  then  kill  two  savages  as  a  pretext,  but 
that  Printz  would  never  permit  it."  Iludde  was 
therefore  compelled  to  return.1 

The  Dutch  governor  at  Manhattan,  William  Kieft, 
granted  one  hundred  morgans  of  land  opposite  Reedy 
Island  (called  by  the  Dutch  the  little  island  of  K 
Vogelssant)  in  the  neighborhood  of  what  is  now  Port 
Penn,  in  New  Castle  county,  to  Abraham  Planck, 
Simon  Root,  Jan  Andriessen,  and  Peter  Harmensen.2 
But  the  men  never  came  and  took  possession.3 

President  Eaton,  of  New  Haven,  under  date  August 
12,  wrote  a  letter  to  Governor  Kieft,  of  Manhattan, 
complaining  of  the  outrages  suffered  by  the  English 
on  the  Delaware.4 

On  the  7th  of  September,  Iludde  received  orders 
from  Manhattan  "  to  purchase  some  land  from  the 
savages  situated  on  the  west  shore,  about  a  mile  distant 
from  Fort  Nassau  to  the  north!'  In  obedience  to  this 
order,  on  the  25th  of  the  same  m;nth,  Huclde  pur 
chased  it  from  the  Indian  proprietor,  and  erected  the 
arms  of  the  Dutch  West  India  Company  upon  it,  upon 

1  Hudde's  Report.       •  *  Albany  Records,  vol.  1,  p.  153. 

3  Acrelius,  p.  417.  4  Hazard's  Historical  Col.,  voL  2. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  199 

a  pole.  As  one  Dutch  is  four  English  miles,  this 
must  have  been  part  of  the  land  upon  which  the  city 
of  Philadelphia  now  stands.  The  Swedish  commis 
sary,  Hendrick  Iluygen,  at  once  pulled  down  the 
the  arms,  which  caused  fresh  protests  to  be  made  by 
Hudde,  Printz  also  protested  against  the  purchase, 
and  claimed  that  the  land  belonged  to  the  Swedes.1 
This  brought  forth  a  counter  protest  by  Hudde,  who 
complained  grievously  of  the  insulting  manner  in 
which  the  arms  of  the  company  were  torn  down, 
besides  the  many  "bloody  menaces"  wrhich  were  re 
ported  to  him  from  time  to  time.  This  last  protest 
was  made  on  the  22d  of  October.  It  was  sent  to 
Printz  in  charge  of  a  sergeant.  Printz  (the  sergeant 
said)  received  it  contemptuously,  throwing  it  on  the 
ground  to  one  of  his  attendants,  and  saying,  "  take 
care  of  it."  The  attendant  picked  it  up,  and  the 
sergeant  was  kept  there  waiting.  Printz  then  de 
parted  to  meet  some  Englishmen  just  arrived  from 
New  England.  After  some  interval  the  sergeant  asked 
to  see  the  governor  to  obtain  an  answer,  when  he  was 
thrown  out  of  doors,  and  Printz  (perhaps  exasperated 
by  the  interruption  of  the  sergeant)  "  took  a  gun 
from  the  wall  to  shoot  him,  as  he  imagined,  but  was 
prevented  from  his  leaving  the  room." 

This  treatment  Hudde  complained  of,  as  being  very 
common  on  the  part  of  Printz.  "  Freemen,"  he  said, 
"  as  well  as  servants,  when  arriving  at  where  he  re 
sides,  are  in  a  most  unreasonable  manner  abused,  so 

1  The  Swedes  had  before  purchased  all  the  lands  from  the  falls  of 
Trenton  to  the  Whorekill.     See  ante  p.  153. 


200  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

that  they  are  often,  on  returning  home,  bloody  and 
bruised."1 

George  Lamberton.  who  endeavored  to  set- 
n  P  A  ^"i 

J  tie  on  the  Delaware,  and  with  such  bad  suc 
cess,  was  lost  at  sea  whilst  on  a  voyage  to  England. 

Peter  Stuyvessant  arrived  at  New  Amsterdam  on 
the  llth  of  May  as  governor  of  New  Netherlands  in 
place  of  Kieft.  Pie  commenced  his  administration  on 
the  17th  of  May.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  he  wrote 
complimentary  letters  to  the  Governor  of  Massachu 
setts  and  New  Haven,  desiring  to  be  on  friendly  terms 
with  them,  but  at  the  same  time  asserting  the  right 
of  the  Dutch  to  all  the  land  between  the  Delaware 
and  Connecticut  rivers.  The  Dutch  called  the  Dela 
ware  the  South  River,  the  Hudson  the  North  River, 
and  the  Connecticut  the  Fresh  River. 

The  quarrels  between  the  Swedes  and  the  Dutch 
on  the  Delaware  still  continued.  The  Armewsick 
savages,  one  day  at  noon,  attempted  to  surprise  the 
Dutch,  but  they  by  some  means  got  information  of 
the  attack.  This,  and  a  misunderstanding  amongst 
the  savages,  rendered  the  attempt  abortive.  Hudde 
insinuated  it  was  by  the  machinations  of  the  Swedes 
that  this  attack  was  made.  "  Printz,"  he  says, 
"  leaves  nothing  untried  to  render  the  Dutch  sus 
pected  by  both  savages  and  Christians."  Printz, 
both  from  English  and  Dutch  accounts,  appears  to 
have  been  a  violent  abusive  man.  Upon  Hudde 
urging  the  older  claims  of  the  Dutch  to  the  Delaware 
he  told  him  "  that  the  devil  tuas  the  oldest  possessor  of 

1  Iludde's  Report,  N.  Y.  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  1,  p.  435,  436. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  201 

hell,  lut  that  he  sometimes  admitted  a  younger  one" 
"  This/'  said  Hudde,  "  he  declared  at  his  own  table, 
on  the  3d  of  June,  in  presence  of  me  and  iny  wife, 
and  many  other  equally  vulgar  expressions,  serving 
and  attended  for  the  same  purpose."  Printz  was  also 
charged  with  tampering  with  the  Maquas  Indians, 
who  lived  near  the  Dutch  possessions  at  Manhattan, 
(New  York)  and  furnishing  them  with  guns  and 
powder.1  Printz  also  stopped  a  Dutch  vessel  called 
the  Siren,  examined  the  goods,  and  tumbled  them, 
and  took  from  her  a  quantity  of  powder  and  shot.2 

Several  vessels  arrived  from  Sweden  this  year 
with  merchandise  and  settlors.  They  wrere  the  Swan, 
the  Black  Cat,  the  Key,3  and  the  Lamb. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  an  ordinance  was 
passed  in  Sweden,  granting  one-third  of  the    ' 
excise  on  confiscated  tobacco  to  the  support  of  New 
Sweden,  it  having  been  found  that  the  grant  of  the 
excise  in  1642  did  not  produce  half  the  sum  expected. 
If  this  third  of  the  excise  did  not  prove  sufficient, 
the  balance  was  to  be  made  up  from  the  revenues  of 
the  crown.     Goods  from  Holland  landed  at  Gotten- 
berg,  but  not  intended  to  be  sold  in  Sweden,  were 
allowed  to  pass  to  New  Sweden  without  duty. 

The  dispute  between  the  Dutch  and  Swedes  still 
continued  on  the  Delaware,  the  Swedes  being  ex 
tremely  arrogant,  and  appearing  to  pay  no  respect 
whatever  to  the  Dutch  or  their  authority.  The 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  3.  p.  248.  2  lloll.  Doc.,  vol.  8,  p.  48. 

3  Probably  the  Key  of  Kalmer,  the  first  vessel  that  brought  over 
the  Swedish  settlers. 


202  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Swedes  apparently  desired  to  pick  a  quarrel  with 
them,  and  drive  them  from  the  river.1  A  vessel,  on 
the  2d  of  April,  sailed  past  Fort  Nassau  without 
showing  her  colors,  so  that  Hudde  was  doubtful  as  to 
what  she  was.  Two  guns  were  fired  from  the  fort, 
but  the  vessel  paid  no  respect  to  them.  Hudde  sent 
a  boat  with  eight  men  after  her,  but  the  weather 
being  fair,  he  was  unable  to  overtake  her.  In  two 
or  three  days  she  returned,  with  her  colors  flying. 
It  proved  to  be  a  Swedish  bark.  Iludde  then  asked 
the  skipper  (Claret  liuygen)  why  he  "  passed  the 
fort  without  showing  his  colors,  by  which  it  might  be 
known  who  the  master  was,  though  he  had  colors 
with  him,  as  was  evident,  since  they  were  now 
flying."  The  Swedish  captain  answered  him  very 
contemptuously,  "  that  if  he  had  known  this  would 
have  come  into  consideration,  he  would  not  have  done 
it  now,  but  that  he  certainly  should  do  so  in  the 
future,  if  it  was  to  irritate,  and  a  mark  of  his  con 
tempt."  Iludde,  who  was  extremely  sensitive  as  to 
any  thing  concerning  Dutch  honor  and  authority, 
immediately  sent  a  protest  to  Printz  in  relation  to 
this  conduct.  In  it  he  stated  that  it  was  contrary  to 
an  arrangement  made  between  them,  viz.,  that  the 
vessels  of  each  were  to  stop  at  the  forts  of  the  other, 
even  when  it  was  sufficiently  known  from  where  they 
came,"  Hudde  very  justly  says,  "  so  that  neither  your 
subjects  and  ours  might  be  exposed  to  any  mishap, 
whilst  it  was  to  be  feared  that  otherwise,  that  under 

1  MSS.  American  Philosophical  Society,  Register  of  Perm.,  vol.  4, 
p.  315. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  203 

this  cover,  one  or  other  foreign  nation,  to  our  great 
injury,  might  pass  by."1 

During  the  whole  winter  the  Swedes  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Schuylkill.  had  been  gathering  logs  with 
the  evident  intent  of  building.  Hudde,  who  kept  a 
sharp  watch  over  all  their  proceedings,  supposed  they 
were  going  to  build  near  the  place  where  the  vessels 
usually  laid  at  anchor.  The  correctness  of  his  sup 
positions  were  soon  made  evident.  On  the  4th  of 
April,  some  of  the  sachems  from  "Passayunk"  called 
on  Hudde,  and  inquired  "why  he  did  not  build  on 
the  Schuylkill,  as  the  Swedes  had  already  done  so." 
Upon  inquiry,  he  found  this  to  be  the  truth,  and  "  in 
some  places,  too,  of  the  highest  importance."  Ac 
cordingly  Hudde  commenced  preparations  to  build 
too.  He  obtained  a  grant  of  land  near  the  Schuylkill, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Nassau,  and  on  the  27th 
of  April  went  there  with  the  necessary  timber.  He 
also  called  on  the  sachems  who  had  granted  him  the 
land,  and  stated  his  intention  of  building  on  it.  They 
sent  a  message  "  to  the  Swedes,  who  lived  there 
already,  and  commanded  them  to  depart,  insinuating 
they  had  taken  possession  clandestinely,  and  against 
the  rule  of  the  sachems."  That  they  (the  sachems) 
had  ceded  it  for  the  present  to  the  Dutch,"  and  that 
Hudde  "should  build  there  too."  Then  "Martt 
Hoock  and  Wissemenets,  two  of  the  chief  sachems, 
planted  with  their  own  hands  the  colors  of  the  Prince 
of  Orange,  and  ordered  that  Hudde  should  fire  a  gun 
three  times  in  token  of  possession."  "  This  was  done, 

1  Iludde's  Report,  p.  427. 


204  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

and  the  house  raised  in  presence  of  the  chiefs. 
Towards  evening,"  Henry  Huygen,  the  "Swedish 
commissary  arrived,  with  seven  or  eight  men,  and 
asked  Hudcle  with  whose  permission  or  order  he  had 
raised  that  building."  He  answered,  "  By  the  orders 
of  my  masters,  and  the  previous  consent  of  the  sava 
ges."  Huygen  asked  if  Hudde  "  could  show  any 
order  of  his  master,  and  not  letters  of  some  freemen." 
Hudde  answered,  "  Yes,  and  was  ready  to  produce 
them,  when  he  (Huygen)  had  shown  by  whose  order 
he  made  that  demand."  "  The  sachems  then  told 
Henry  Huygen  that  they  should  grant"  the  Dutch 
"  that  tract,"  and  they  "  should  settle  there,"  and 
asked  "by  what  authority  the  Swedes  had  built 
there,"  and  "  if  it  was  not  enough  that  they  were  in 
possession  of  Mattenehonk,  the  Schuylkill,  Kingses- 
sing,  Kankanken,  Upland,  £c.,  possessed  by  the 
Swedes,  all  which  they  had  stolen  from  them.  That 
Miriuit,  now  about  eleven  years  past,  had  no  more 
than  six  small  tracts  of  land  up  Pagahacking.  pur 
chased  to  plant  there  some  tobacco,  of  which  the 
natives,  in  gratitude,  should  enjoy  one  half  of  the 
produce."  They  wished  to  know  if  the  Swedes, 
"  when  purchasing  one  tract  of  land,  should  take 
those  next  adjoining  it,  as  they  had  done,  and  yet 
continued  to  do." 

They  were  greatly  surprised  that  the  Swedes,  who 
had  only  lately  arrived  on  the  river,  should  prescribe 
laws  to  those  who  were  the  original  and  natural  pro 
prietors  of  the  land,  as  if  they  might  not  do  with 
their  own  as  they  wished.  That  the  Swedes  who 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  205 

had  only  lately  arrived  on  the  river  had  taken  a  great 
deal  of  land  from  them,  whilst  the  Dutch  had  never 
taken  any  from  them,  though  they  had  dwelt  there 
for  "  thirty  years."1 

Such  was  the  speech  of  the  Indian  sachems  to  the 
Swedes,  at  least  so  Hudde  wrote  to  Stuyvessant  at 
New.  Amsterdam,  for  we  have  no  Swedish  accounts. 
But  it  had  no  effect  on  their  determination  to  stop 
the  Dutch  from  building  on  the  Schuylkill.  Hudde 
commenced  the  erection  of  palisades  around  the  house, 
because,  said  he,  the  Swedes  had  before  destroyed 
the  house  which  the  company  possessed  on  the 
Schuylkill,  and  built  a  fort  in  its  place,  and  they  per 
haps  might  do  the  same  here. 

Whilst  Hudde  was  thus  engaged,  "  Moens  King, 
lieutenant  of  the  fort  on  Schuylkill,  arrived,"  with 
twenty-four  men,  fully  armed,  with  charged  muskets, 
and  bearing  maces,  and  marching  in  ranks.  The 
Swedish  lieutenant  "  commanded  his  soldiers  to  lay 
down  their  muskets,  and  each  take  his  axe  in  hand 
and  cut  down  every  tree  which  stood  near  and  around 
the  house."  They  "destroyed  even  the  fruit  trees" 
which  Hudde  "had  planted  there."2 

This  outrage  of  the  Swedes  was  soon  reported  at 
Kew  Amsterdam.  The  council  on  there,  on  hearing 
of  it,  sent  S.  Van  Dincklage  and  La  Montague  to  in 
quire  into  the  affair.  They  arrived  on  the  7th  of 
June.3  They  met  the  sachems  on  the  10th,  and  re 
ceived  a  formal  transfer  of  the  land  from  the  Indians. 

1  Hudde,  p.  440.  2  Ibid. 

3  Ibid. 


206  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

This  Land  had  fifteen  years  previously  been  transferred 
to  the  Dutch  by  the  Ind:ans  in  1633.  The  convey 
ance  was  to  Arent  Corssen,  the  Dutch  Commissary, 
that  year  at  Fort  Nassau,  and  was  then  called  Armen- 
veruis.  The  Dutch  had  erected  Fort  Beaversreede 
upon  it.1  The  Indians  had  been  paid  in  part,  but  not 
in  total.  This  grant  must  therefore  have  been  the 
final  execution  of  the  bargain  previously  made. 
After  finishing  this  business  they  sailed  from  New 
Gottenberg,  where  they  were  received  by  Commissary 
Huygen  and  Lieutenant  Papeogya,  u  who  left  them 
about  half  an  hour  in  the  open  air,  and  a  constant 
rain."  After  they  were  admitted  to  an  audience  with 
Printz,  "  they  delivered  him  a  solemn  protest  against 
his  illegal  occupation  of  the  Schuylkill,  to  which  he 
promised  a  reply  before  their  departure."2 

It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  in  detail  the  numer 
ous  disputes  that  took  place  between  the  Dutch  and 
Swedes  as  they  principally  occurred  in  the  country 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Schuylkill.  They  belong 
more  to  the  history  of  Pennsylvania  than  to  Delaware. 
It  will  be  sufficient  to  state,  the  Dutch  continued  to 
grant  land  on  the  disputed  territory,  that  they 
several  times  attempted  to  build,  but  that  they  were 
in  every  instance  driven  off  by  the  Swedes.  And 
that  Hudde,  having  no  other  mode  to  oppose  Printz's 
violence,  still  pertinaciously  protested,  copies  of  which 
he  always  forwarded  to  New  Amsterdam,  and  thus 
made  the  injuries  matter  of  record,  which  record  is 

1  Holl.  Documents,  p.  32,  50,  55,  56. 

2  Iludde's  Report,  p.  440. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  207 

now  of  the  greatest  service  in  elucidating  the  past 
history  of  this  State. 

The  following  are  a  few  of  the  many  outrages  per 
petrated  :  Hans  Jackson  made  an  attempt  to  settle  in 
July.  His  buildings  were  destroyed  by  the  son  of 
Governor  Printz,  who  threatened  that  if  he  came 
there  again  and  attempted  to  build,  he  would  give 
give  him  a  "good  drubbing."  Thomas  Broen  at 
tempted  to  settle  at  a  place  which  he  gave  the  name 
of  New  Holme.  The  Swedes,  under  Sergeant 
Gregory  Van  Dyck,  pulled  down  his  buildings,  and 
told  him  if  he  did  not  leave  they  would  beat  him.1 
In  this  state  of  affairs  Hudde  left  for  Manhattan, 
when  Printz,  on  the  IGth  of  September,  built  a  house 
in  front  of  the  Dutch  fort  of  Beversreede,  of  twenty 
feet  broad,  and  from  thirty  to  thirty-five  feet  long, 
the  back  gable  of  the  house  being  within  twelve  feet 
of  the  fort,  entirely  cutting  it  off  from  a  view  of  the 
water.  Simon  Root  and  others  endeavoring  to  build 
near  Fort  Beversreede  were  driven  away  by  Lieutenant 
Swen  Schute,  and  their  buildings  pulled  down. 
Thus  the  quarrel  went  on,  until  the  Dutch  gathered 
up  their  strength,  exasperated  at  the  repeated  injuries, 
and  finally  destroyed  the  Swedish  power  on  the 
Delaware.  Of  which,  however,  more  hereafter. 

Two  Swedes,  who,  with  seven  or  eight  guns,  some 
powder  and  balls,  went  to  trade  with  the  Manquas,  a 
tribe  of  Indians  residing  near  Fort  Nassau,  were 
killed  by  them.  This  is  the  first  recorded  instance 
of  any  Swedes  being  killed  by  the  Indians.2 

1  Hudde's  Report,  p.  440.  2  Albany  Records,  vol.  5,  p.  71. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

FROM  1049  TO  1053. 

English  complaints  laid  before  the  United  Colonies  of  New  England 
—  Their  action  —  They  write  to  Stuyvessant  —  Stuyvessant  meets 
them  at  Hartford  —  An  arbitration  agreed  upon  —  The  New  Eng- 
landers  claim  between  the  fortieth  and  forty-eighth  degrees  of 
north  latitude  —  All  the  land  claimed  by  the  Dutch  wanted  by 
the  English  —  Stuyvessant  not  ready  with  his  proofs  —  They  are 
in  Holland  —  The  arbitrators  award  both  parties  to  settle  on  the 
Delaware  on  the  lands  they  had  purchased  —  Stuyvessant  visits 
the  Delaware  —  Endeavors  to  settle  boundaries  with  the  Swedes  — 
Swedish  claims  —  Their  proofs  in  Sweden  —  Dutch  allege  Indians 
did  not  sell  lands  to  Swedes  —  Stuyvessant  meets  the  Indians  — 
Buys  from  them  the  land  between  Fort  Christina  and  Bombay 
Hook  —  Builds  Fort  Cassimer  —  The  name  —  Supposed  origin  — 
Abandonment  of  Fort  Nassau  —  Stuyvessant  returns  to  New 
Amsterdam  —  Printz  protests  against  the  erection  of  Fort  Cassi 
mer  —  English  from  New  Haven  call  at  New  Amsterdam  on  their 
way  to  Delaware  —  Stuyvessant  arrests  them  —  Threatens  to  for 
feit  their  goods  and  send  them  to  Holland  —  The  English  com 
plain  to  the  United  Colonies  —  United  Colonies  promise  them  aid, 
if  they  send  expedition  —  They  accuse  Stuyvessant  of  breaking 
the  agreement  —  Write  to  their  agent  in  London  —  Captain  Mason 
applied  to,  to  go  to  the  Delaware  —  He  declines  —  Commissioners 
from  United  Colonies  visit  New  Amsterdam  —  Complaint  of 
English  against  Stuyvessant  —  Stuyvessant  threatens  to  prevent 
English  settlement  on  Delaware  by  force  of  arms. 


PI  fUQl  ^nJur^es  ^one  ^0  the  English  on  the 

Delaware  by  the  Dutch,  and  their  claims  to 
the  territory  on  that  river,  were  brought  to  the  notice 
of  the  United  Colonies  of  New  England  at  the  meet- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  209 

ing  of  the  Commissioners  at  Boston,  by  Governor 
Eaton  of  New  Haven.  Th^  Commissioners,  however, 
declined  to  encourage,  "  by  any  public  act,"  the  settle 
ment  of  the  Delaware,  as  they  could  not  spare  the 
men,  the  English  plantations  in  New  England  not 
having  a  sufficient  supply  of  hands.1  They,  however, 
caused  a  letter  to  be  written  to  Stuyvessant  on  the 
10th  of  August,  in  which  they  (alluding  to  a  former 
letter  from  the  Manhattan  authorities)  stated  that 
the  answer  they  received  in  relation  to  the  letter 
written,  complaining  of  injuries  received  by  the 
English  on  the  Delaware  Bay,  was  not  satisfactory. 
They  asserted  the  right  of  the  English  to  the  tracts 
on  the  Delaware,  and  that  whilst  the  people  of  New 
Haven  wrould  neither  encroach  nor  in  any  way  dis 
turb  the  peace  of  the  Dutch,  they  must  not  fail  in 
maintaining  the  rights  and  interests  of  the  English 
there.2 

To  settle  the  difficulties  in  relation  to 
Delaware,  between  the  Dutch  and  English  L 
of  New  Haven,  Stuyvessant  agreed  to  meet  the 
Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  at  Hartford. 
This  meeting  was  brought  about  at  the  solicitation  of 
the  commissioners.  Stuyvessant  arrived  at  Hartford 
on  the  23d  of  September.  The  correspondence 
between  them  it  was  decided  should  be  in  writing,  to 
avoid  the  inconvenience  of  speaking.  After  settling 
as  many  points  as  possible  in  this  manner,  there  were 
others  that  could  only  be  arranged  by  disinterested 


1  Hazard's  Coll..  vol.  2,  p.  127. 

2  Trimilmll's  Conn.,  vol.  1,  p.  184. 
14 


210  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

friends  of  each  party,  therefore  an  arbitration  was 
agreed  upon.  Two  commissioners  were  appointed  by 
each  party.  Stuyvessant  appointed  Captain  Thomas 
Willett  and  Ensign  George  Baxter.  The  United 
Colonies  appointed  Simon  Bradstreet  and  Thomas 
Prence.  Stuyvessant  gave  his  arbitrators  full  power 
to  settle  "  any  differences  between  the  two  nations,"  to 
end  and  determine  them,  as  they  "  might  deem  just  and 
right,  with  power  to  enter  into  such  terms  of  accord  for 
provisional  limits  and  leagues  of  love  and  union  betwixt 
the  tivo  nations  in  those  parts  as  to  them  should  seem 
just  and  right."  The  New  England  arbitrators  had 
similar  instructions. 

The  New  Englanders  claimed  by  their  patent  all 
the  territory  between  the  forty  and  forth-eighth  de 
gree  of  north  latitude.  In  other  words,  all  the  terri 
tory  between  a  point  a  short  distance  north  of  Phila 
delphia,  and  another  at  the  mouth  of  Chaleur  Bay, 
near  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  including  not  only  what 
is  within  the  present  limit  of  the  United  States,  but 
also  the  present  British  possessions  of  Nova  Scotia 
and  New  Brunswick.  This  was  according  to  the 
grant  of  the  North  Virginia  Company  in  1606  and 
1620.  Between  the  thirty-eighth  and  fortieth  degree 
of  north  latitude,  north  of  the  Potomac,  had  already 
been  granted  to  Baltimore.  *  Thus  every  foot  of  land 
professed  to  be  owned  by  the  Dutch  in  America  was 
claimed  as  being  granted  by  the  English  government 
to  English  citizens. 

The  arbitrators  met,  and  the  colonies  of  Connecticut 
and  New  Haven  kid  these  complaints  before  them. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  211 

As  most  of  the  injuries  suffered  were  done  by  Gover 
nor  Kieft,  Stuyvessant  was  not  prepared  to  make 
answer  to  them.  They  therefore  made  no  judgment 
on  them  until  Stuyvessant  could  lay  the  matter  before 
the  West  India  Company.  Stuyvessant,  however, 
still  asserted  this  claim  of  the  Dutch  to  the  Delaware, 
and  protested  against  any  other  claim.  The  English 
also  claiming  the  right,  and  as  Stuyvessant  advanced 
no  proofs,  all  the  commissioners  could  do  was  to 
award  that  both  parties  were  to  remain  in  statu  quo 
prius,  (that  is,  in  the  same  state  as  they  were  before,) 
and  that  they  were  "  to  plead  and  improve  their  just 
interests  on  the  Delaware  for  planting  and  trading," 
only  that  "all  proceedings  were  to  be  carried  on  in 
love  and  peace."  This  award,  which  settled  nothing 
and  amounted  to  nothing,  was  duly  signed  by  the 
four  arbitrators,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  commis 
sioners,  and  Stuyvessant  promised  to  abide  by  their 


decision.1 


Stuyvessant  then  visited  the   Delaware, 
and  attempted  to  have  a  settlement  betwen    *- 
the  Dutch  and  the  Swedes,  as  regarded  their  limits 
and  boundaries.    But  this  could  not  be  done  as  though 
Printz  "  determined  the  Swedish  limits  ivide  and  broad 
enough,  yet  without  any  justification  or  proper  proofs," 
giving  as  an  excuse  that  all  the  papers  relating  to  the 
purchase  of  the  lands  were  not  at  hand,  but  deposited 
at  the  chancellery  at  Stockholm. 

Stuyvessant  asserted,   in  his  report  to  the  Dutch 
West  India  Company,  that  this  reply  of  Printz's  was 

1  Hazard's  Historical  Collection,  vol.  2,  p.  171,  172,  and  218. 


212  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

not  true,  as  he  tried  to  purchase  from  the  Indian 
sachem  Waspang  Zewan  the  lands  that  the  Swedes 
were  then  settled  on.  But  that  the  sachem  refused  to 
sell  the  land  because  the  Swedes  "  had  for  a  long  time, 
and  against  his  inclination,  and  with  a  forcible  hand? 
kept  possession  of  a  part  of  said  lands,  without  ever 
having  given  him  the  least  consideration  for  them." 
"  This,"  said  Stuyvessant,  "  the  chief  declared  verbally 
and  in  writing  to  the  director,  in  presence  of  several 
reliable  persons."  The  same  sachem,  Stuyvessant 
also  asserted,  gave  the  Dutch  "  authority,  in  a  proper 
manner,  to  inherit  and  possess  forever,"  all  the  land 
between  Racoon  Creek  and  the  Minquas,  or  Christina, 
on  both  sides  of  the  Delaware. 

Stuyvessant,    for   further    security,  summoned  to 

meet  him  on  the  19th  of  July  all  the  Indian  sachems 

who  lived  near  the  Delaware,  and  all  the  owners  of 

land  in  the  neighborhood.     He  then  questioned  the 

Indians  in  regard  to  the  land  they  sold  to  the  Swedes. 

The  Indians  denied  "  ever  having  sold  any  land  to 

the  Swedes,"  as  they  pretended,  excepting  the  ground 

on   which    Fort    Christina   was    situated,   and    some 

ground  around  it  for  a  garden  to  plant  tobacco  in. 

They  then  granted  to  the  Dutch  all  the  land  between 

Fort  Christina  and  Bombay  Hook,   (called  by  them 

Neuwsings,)  on  condition  they  should  repair  the  gun 

of  the  chief  Pemmennatta,  when  out  of  order,  and 

give  them  a  little  maize  when  they  required  it.1 

Stuyvessant  immediately  prepared  to  erect  a  fort 
to  secure  his  newly  acquired  purchase.     Accordingly, 

1  O'Call.,  vol.  2.  p.  106. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  213 

on  the  spot  where  New  Castle  now  stands,  a  short 
distance  north  of  the  present  town,  he  erected  Fort 
Cassimer.  We  have  no  knowledge  of  the  reason  of 
the  name.  The  directors  of  the  East  India  Company 
were  themselves  surprised  at  it  when  they  were  in 
formed  of  it,  as  it  is  more  Swedish  than  Dutch.  It 
was  probably  from  John.  Duke  of  Casimir,  a  Swedish 
noble,  who  was  instrumental  in  aiding  the  first 
Swedisli  settlement  on  the  Delaware.  Stuyvessant, 
after  having  thus  fortified  his  purchases,  returned  to 
New  Amsterdam,  first  abandoning  Fort  Nassau,  and 
removing  the  garrison  to  Fort  Cassimer,  and  having 
several  conversations  with  Printz,  "  wherein  they 
mutually  promised  to  cause  no  difficulties  or  hostilities 
to  each  other,  but  to  keep  neighborly  friendship  and 
correspondence  together,  and  act  as  friends  and 
allies."1  Printz,  however,  protested  against  the  erec 
tion  of  the  fort. 

Supposing  that  according  to  the  terms  of  the  agree 
ment  with  Stuyvessant,  that  their  right  to  settle  on 
the  lands  they  had  purchased  on  the  Delaware  was 
conceded,  Jasper  Graine,  William  Tuttell,  and  other 
inhabitants  of  New  Haven  and  Sotocket,  to  the  number 
of  fifty,  hired  a  vessel,  and  sailed  from  there  for  that 
purpose.  On  the  14th  of  September,  on  their  way 
they  stopped  at  New  Amsterdam,  and  informed 
Stuyvessant  of  their  intention.  He  asked  to  see  their 
commission.  It  was  shown  to  him,  and  he  then  re 
fused  to  give  it  up,  placed  the  master  of  the  vessel 
and  four  others  in  prison,  and  refused  to  let  them  out 

1  Holl.  Documents,  vol.  8.  p.  32-50. 


214  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

until  "  they  pledged  themselves  under  their  hands" 
that  they  would  not  go  to  Delaware,  and' at  the  same 
time  informed  them  that  if  any  of  them  were  after 
wards  found  there,  he  should  forfeit  their  goods,  and 
send  them  prisoners  to  Holland.  He  also,  on  the 
llth  of  April,  wrote  to  the  Governor  of  New  Haven, 
affirming  the  Dutch  right  to  the  Delaware,  and 
threatening  to  prevent  any  English  settlement  there, 
"  with  force  of  arms  and  martial  opposition,  even  unto 
bloodshed." 

The  ill-used  Englishmen  made  prompt  complaint 
of  the  Dutch  treatment  at  the  next  meeting  of  the 
commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies,  who  were  ex 
tremely  indignant  at  the  act  of  Stuyvessant.  They 
passed  a  resolution  affirming  that  "  they  did  not  think 
it  meet  to  enter  into  any  present  engagement  against 
the  Dutch,  choosing  rather  to  suffer  injuries  and 
affront  (at  least  for  a  time)  than  in  any  respect  to 
seem  to  he  too  quick,"  but  that  if  they  should  at  any 
time  within  twelve  months,  at  their  own  charge,  trans 
port  one  hundred  and  fifty  (or  at  least  one  hundred) 
able  bodied  men,  with  arms  and  ammunition  and 
vessels  "  fit  for  such  an  enterprise,"  and  the  same  was 
approved  by  the  magistrates  of  New  Haven,  then  if. 
while  they  "  carried  themselves  peaceably,"  they  met 
Avith  any  hostile  opposition  from  the  Dutch  and 
Swedes,  and  they  required  any  further  aid  or  assist 
ance,  then  the  United  Colonies  should  furnish  them 
with  a  sufficient  number  of  soldiers  for  their  defence, 
they  paying  the  expense,  and  their  lands  there  and 
trade  with  the  Indians,  to  be  answerable  until  it  was 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  215 

paid.  They  also  wrote  a  severe  letter  to  Stuyves- 
sant,  complaining  of  his  breaking  his  agreement  with 
them,  telling  him  he  showed  at  their  meeting  "  no  just 
title  to  the  Delaware,  and  asserting  that,  by  the  agree 
ment  made  between  the  arbitrators,  the  English 
settlers  were  to  be  allowed  to  settle  on  their  lands. 
They  also  wrote  to  Mr.  Edward  Winslow,  the  agent 
in  London,  complaining  of  the  conduct  of  the  Dutch, 
of  the  dishonor  placed  upon  the  English  nation  by 
submitting  to  such  outrages,  and  of  their  duty  to  pre 
serve  English  title  to  so  considerable  a  place  as  Dela 
ware."  They  also  claimed  that  the  Dutch  should  be 
compelled  to  make  satisfaction  to  the  English  they 
had  injured  in  their  persons  and  estates,  and  requested 
information  from  him  as  "to  ivhat  esteem  the  old 
patents  for  that  place  (the  Delaware)  have  with  the 
Parliament  or  Council  of  State,  where  there  hath 
been  no  improvement  hitherto  made  by  the  patentees ; 
whether  the  Parliament  hath  granted  any  late  patents, 
or  whether,  in  granting,  they  preserve  not  liberty  and 
encouragement  for  such  as  have  or  shall  plant  upon 
their  formerly  duly  purchased  lands."1 

The  people  of  New  Haven,  determining  to  main 
tain  the  rights  to  the  Delaware,  applied  to  Captain 
Mason,  a  man  of  known  courage  and  military  skill, 
to  remove  with  them  to  Delaware,  and  take  the 
management  of  the  company.  He  was  inclined  to  go, 
but  his  services  at  home  being  deemed  essential  by 
the  General  Court  at  Connecticut,  they  unanimously 
requested  he  would  abandon  all  thought  of  going  to 

1  Hazard's  Historical  Collection. 


216  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Delaware,  to  which  he  yielded,  and  the  design  was 
abandoned.1 

But  little  was  done  by  the  English  of  New  Haven 
or  the  United  Colonies  for  two  years,  when,  at  the 
request  of  Stuyvessant.  three  commissioners  were  ap 
pointed  by  the  United  Colonies  to  visit  New  Amster 
dam,  but  without  any  result.  From  some  cause  the 
commissioners  left  suddenly,  greatly  to  the  surprise 
of  Stuyvessant.  On  the  2d  of  May,  the  New  Eng 
land  commissioners  again  wrote  to  Stuyvessant  in 
which  they  reiterated  all  their  previous  complaints, 
and  say  "  that  to  this  day  they  have  received  nothing 
but  dilatory  exceptions,  offensive  affronts,  and  un 
pleasant  answers,  as  well  in  the  South  River  Bay, 
called  Delaware,  as  upon  the  Fresh  River,  called 
Connecticut."  This  letter  brought  an  answer  from 
Stuyvessant,  in  which  he  says  he  could  not  admit  of 
any  settlements  on  the  Delaware  River  as  being  con 
trary  to  his  express  orders,  and  that  he  done  nothing 
in  warning  and  preventing  the  settlers  from  New 
Elaven  from  continuing  their  voyage  to  Delaware,  but 
what  was  proper,  and  thus  forewarn  and  advertise 
them  from  "  all  damage  or  bloodshedding,"  which 
might  result  therefrom.  This  letter  showed  to  the 
United  Colonies  that  Stuyvessant  had  thrown  off  the 
mask,  and  was  determined  that  no  English  settlement 
should  be  made,  if  he  could  prevent  it,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Delaware.2 

1  Trimibull,  vol.  1,  p.  298. 

2  Hazard's  Historical* Collection,  pp.  256,  260,  268,  270. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FROM  1653  TO  1054. 

Swedes  request  Dutch  to  take  them  under  their  protection — Stuyves- 
sant  refuse* — Reason — Writes  to  Holland  in  relation  to  it — Per 
mission  to  take  them  if  they  apply  again — Printz  returns  to 
Sweden — John  Pappegoya  appointed  Governor — Affairs  of  New 
Sweden  placed  in  hands  of  College  of  Commerce — Jno.  Amund 
sen  Besh — Rising  appointed  governor — His  salary — His  instruc 
tions — Grant  of  land  to  Rising — Privileges  to  settlers  by  the 
College  of  Commerce — Rising  embarks  for  New  Sweden  in  the 
shi  o  Aren.  with  two  or  three  hundred  people — Arrive  in  the 
Delaware — Attack  and  capture  FortCassimer — Bikker,  the  Dutch 
commander,  censured — He  takes  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
Swedes — Rising  rebuilds  the  fort — The  engineer  Lindstroem — 
Dutch  think  of  giving  up  Fort  Cassimer — Decide  to  hold  it — 
Rising  makes  a  treaty  with  the  Indians — Naaman's  speech — 
The  English  write  to  Rising,  informing  him  of  their  claim  to 
land  in  Delaware — Population  on  the  Delaware — Its  increase — 
Rising  wants  a  wife — Death  of  Chancellor  Oxcnsteirn — Abdica 
tion  of  Queen  Christina — Charles  Gustavus,  King  of  Sweden — 
Peace  between  England  and  Holland — Dutch  capture  the  Golden 
Shark — Offer  to  restore  her  if  Fort  Cassimer  is  given  up — Rising 
refuses — Correspondence  between  Rising  and  the  United  Colo 
nies  on  English  claim — Indignation  in  Holland  at  capture  of 
Fort  Cassimer — Stuyvessant  commanded  to  expel  Swedes  from 
Delaware — He  makes  preparations  to  do  so — Expedition  to  Dela 
ware  discussed  in  meeting  of  United  Colonies — Two  magistrates, 
Eaton  and  Neuman,  propose  to  lead  it — New  Sweden  has  the 
monopoly  of  exporting  tobacco  to  Sweden — expenses  and  garri 
son  of  New  Sweden  for  1655. 

FOR  some  time  before  the  building  of  Fort 
Cassimer,  there  had  been  no  arrival  of  succors 
from  Sweden,  and  the  Swedes  becoming  discouraged, 
made  a  request  to  Stuyvessant  for  him  to  take  them 


218  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

under  his  care,  they  at  the  same  time  promising  to 
become  subject  to  the  Dutch.  Stuyvessant,  to  pre 
vent  trouble  that  might  ensue,  declined  to  receive 
them,  being  unwilling  to  undertake  so  important  a 
step  without  consultation  with  the  powers  at  home.1 
He  accordingly,  on  the  6th  of  October,  wrote  to  the 
directors,  who  gave  him  permission  to  exercise  his 
judgment.  In  their  reply  they  said  that  "  population 
of  the  country,  that  bulwark  of  every  state,  ought  to 
be  promoted  by  all  means,  so  that  the  settling  of  free 
men  ought  not  to  be  shackled,  but  rather  encouraged, 
by  all  honest  means ;  all  such,  therefore,  who  are 
willing  to  obey  our  laws  and  statutes,  ought  to  be 
protected  in  their  rights  of  citizenship  to  the  utmost 
of  our  power."2 

Governor  Printz,  who  had  long  been  desirous  of 
returning  home,  it  is  supposed  either  in  October  or 
November  of  this  year,  returned  to  Sweden.  His 
torians  differ  in  regard  to  the  correct  time  of  his  de 
parture.  Some  place  it  in  the  year  1652.  But  one 
paper  at  least  is  extant  dated  "  New  Sweden,  October 
1,  1653."3  It  is  more  than  probable  this  was  his  last 
official  act.  A  letter  from  Sweden,  that  arrived  at 
Delaware  after  he  had  left  on  his  return  home,  said 
"that  they  should  extremely  regret  his  immediate 
departure,  before"  they  could  make  arrangements  "in 
regard  to  his  successor,  and  for  the  government  of  the 
country;  if,  however,  this  should  be  imposing  too 
much  upon  him,  and  their  service  would  be  equally 

1  Holland  Documents,  vol.  8,  p.  32.  2  Ibid.  p.  154. 

3  Sec  Plymouth  Records,  vol.  2,  part  1,  p.  87. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  219 

well  performed  by  those  whom  he  might  leave  in  the 
country,  he  was  at  liberty  to  return  home." 

Printz  was  more  than  probably  mortified  at  the 
strength  of  the  Dutch  whom  he  had  before  so  imposed 
upon  when  under  the  command  of  Hudde,  but  whom, 
under  a  Stuyvessant,  a  soldier  equally  as  fierce  and 
determined  as  himself,  he  was  bound  to  treat  with  re 
spect,  as  instanced  in  his  inability  to  prevent  the 
erection  of  Fort  Cassimer.  Printz  was  ungentlemanly, 
unjust,  and  unreasonable,  both  in  his  treatment  of  the 
Dutch  and  English.  Rudman  says,  that  becoming 
weary  of  delay,  and'apprehensive  of  danger  from  the 
near  vicinity  of  the  Dutch  Fort  Cassimer,  being  only 
five  miles  from  Christina,  he  went  back  to  Sweden. 
The  same  writer  also  informs  us  that  he  had  become 
unpopular  by  a  too  rigid  authority.  Printz,  after  his 
return  home,  was  made  governor  of  Joukeoping. 

Printz  appointed  John  Pappegoya,  his  son-in-law, 
to  take  charge  of  affairs.  He  ruled  Delaware  on  the 
interim  between  the  departure  of  Printz,  and  was 
the  fourth  governor  of  Delaware.  His  term  of  office 
was  about  eighteen  months. 

The  "  press  of  business  and  other  obstacles"  pre 
venting  the  government  of  Sweden  from  regulating 
the  affairs  of  New  Sweden  "  as  the  utility  of  the 
company  and  the  interests  of  the  government  de 
manded,"  the  management  of  the  affairs  on  the  Dela 
ware  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  "  General  College 
of  Commerce."  They  accordingly,  in  November, 
commissioned  John  Anundsend  (or  John  Anundsen 
Besh,  as  he  is  sometimes  called)  a  captain  of  the 


220  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

navy,  who  was  about  to  embark  on  board  a  galliott, 
to  take  command  of  the  seamen  in  New  Sweden.1 
His  duty  was  to  u  consist  principally  in  performing 
with  fidelity  and  zeal  all  the  duties  that  appertained 
to  a  captain  of  the  navy  in  endeavoring  to  procure 
every  species  of  advantage  to  the  benefit  of  her 
majesty  and  the  Company  of  the  South ;  and  should 
he,  by  the  grace  of  God,  arrive  in  New  Sweden,  to 
superintend  carefully  the  construction  of  vessels,  in 
order  that  they  may  be  faithfully  and  diligently  built, 
&c."  He  was  to  conform  in  all  things  to  the  instruc 
tions  of  the  governor,  and  to  receive  such  annual 
compensation  "as  his  capacity  of  captain"  would 
"  entitle  him  to."  In  future  he  was  "  to  count  with 
certainty  upon  the  favor  of  her  majesty,  and  to  obtain 
from  the  country  a  more  elevated  employment."  The 
government  was  required  to  receive  him  with  the 
rank  of  a  captain  in  the  navy. 

The  College  of  Commerce,  on  the  12th  of  December, 
also  nominated  John  Rising'2  (by  some  called  John 
Claudii  Rising)  under  the  title  of  commissary,  to 
take  charge  of  affairs  in  New  Sweden.  The  letter  of 
his  appointment  stated  "  to  aid  for  a  certain  period 
our  present  governor"  of  New  Sweden.  He  was 
therefore  only  intended  as  a  lieutenant-governor,  but 
as  Printz  had  sailed  before  he  arrived,  and  he  had  the 
full  charge  of  Swedish  affairs  in  this  country,  we  may 

1  MSS.  American  Philosophical  Society,  Reg.  of  Pennsylvania,  vol. 
4,  p.  374.     It  is  not  certain  from  the  language  whether  Anundsen 
was  to  command  the  seamen  of  the  galliott  or  of  New  Sweden. 

2  This  name,  like  all  the  names  of  this  period,  is  spelt  many  differ 
ent  ways. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  221 

consider  him  the  fifth  governor  of  Delaware.  He 
was  allowed  one  thousand  two  hundred  dollars  in 
silver  per  annum  in  addition  to  what  he  may  receive 
from  the  Company  of  the  South,  also  one  thousand  rix 
dollars  for  his  equipment  for  the  voyage.  His  in 
structions  in  effect  were  to  be  as  follows  : 

He  was  told  to  fortify  and  protect  a  harbor  that 
had  been  established;  to  extend  the  Swedish  posses 
sions  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  as  far  as  possible, 
without,  however,  causing  any  "  breach  of  friendship 
with  the  English  and  Dutch."  He  was  to  induce,  if 
possible,  the  Dutch  to  abandon  Fort  Cassimer,  by 
"  arguments  and  serious  remonstrances,"  but  "  without 
resorting  to  any  hostilities.  It  is  better,"  says  his  in 
structions,  "  that  our  subjects  avoid  resorting  to  hos 
tilities,  confining  themselves  solely  to  protestations, 
and  suffer  the  Dutch  to  occupy  the  said  fortresses, 
than  that  it  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  English, 
wlio  are  more  powerful,  and  of  course  the  most  dangerous 
in  that  country.  But  it  is  proper  that  a  fortress  be 
constructed  lower  down  the  river,  towards  the  mouth; 
employing,  however,  the  mildest  measures,  because 
hostilities  will  in  no  degree  tend  to  increase  the 
strength  of  the  Swedes  in  the  country,  more  particu 
larly  as.  by  a  rupture  with  the  Dutch,  the  English  may 
seize  the  opportunity  to  take  possession  of  the  aforesaid 
fortress,  and  become,  in  consequence,  very  dangerous 
neighbors  to  our  possessions  in  said  country."  Thus 
early  was  perceived  by  Swedes,  as  well  as  the  Dutch, 
the  danger  that  the  English  would  finally  conquer 
and  occupy  the  whole  of  the  territory. 


222  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Rising's  instructions  also  recommended  "employ 
ing  every  means  to  facilitate  commerce,  as  the  most 
likely  course  to  benefit  the  country,  such  as  not 
exacting  more  than  two  per  cent.,  or  even  allowing 
to  enter  free,  merchandise  arriving  or  departing,  if 
sold  to  or  to  be  employed  in  trade  with  the  savages. 
The  same  was  to  be  exempt  from  duty  in  Sweden, 
provided  it  belonged  to  Swedish  subjects,  but  foreign 
ers  were  to  be  compelled  to  pay  a  duty,  and  were  not 
to  be  permitted  to  ascend  the  Delaware  with  their 
vessels,  but  were  only  allowed  to  trade  with  the  com 
pany.  The  duties  and  excise  levied  on  foreigners  or 
subjects,  were  "  to  be  employed  for  the  defence  of  the 
country,  and  profit  of  the  Company." 

"  Purchasers  of  land  from  the  Company  or  savages, 
and  becoming  subjects,"  were  "  assured  of  being  admit 
ted  into  the  Company,"  and  enjoying  all  privileges  and 
franchises.  No  one  was,  however,  to  enter  without 
consent  of  the  government. 

Before  Printz  left  the  country  he  was  to  render  to 
Rising  a  full  account  of  the  situation  of  affairs.  He 
was  to  place  all  that  related  to  military  affairs  and  the 
defence  of  the  country  in  the  hands  of  John  Amund 
sen,  establish  a  council  formed  of  the  best  instructed 
and  most  noble  officers  in  the  country,  of  which 
Rising  should  be  the  director,  in  such  a  manner  that 
neither  Rising  in  his  charge,  nor  Amundsen  as  gover 
nor  of  the  militia  in  his,  should  decide  or  approve  of 
any  thing,  without  directly  consulting  with  each  other. 
Printz  for  the  present  was  to  give  them  written 
directions  for  their  guide.  Should  he  remain  in  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  223 

country  longer,  he  was  to  accept  Rising  as  commis 
sary  and  assistant  counsellor,  and  in  the  council  those 
whom  he  should  think  most  proper.  They  also 
granted  to  Rising  as  much  land  as  could  be  cultivated 
by  twenty  or  thirty  peasants. 

Various  privileges  were  also  at  the  same  time 
offered  by  the  College  of  Commerce,  for  the  more  ex 
tensive  settlement  of  the  country.  Swedes  sailing  in 
their  own  vessels,  had  the  liberty  of  trading  in  the 
interior  of  New  Sweden,  "  as  well  with  the  savages 
as  Christians,  and  the  Company  itself,  without  paying 
any  greater  tax  than  two  per  cent."  They  also  had 
the  privilege  of  importing  "  merchandise  procured  in 
trade  on  the  river  into  any  port  belonging  to  Sweden 
free  of  duty,  but  foreign  vessels  were  prohibited  from 
trading  on  the  river  with  savages  or  others,  but  with 
the  Company  alone."  All  Swedes  were  allowed  "  to 
establish  on  the  lands  of  the  Company  as  many  coli- 
nies  as  they  may  be  able  at  their  own  expense  to 
keep  on  said  lands,  and  employ  them  on  plantations 
of  tobacco,  or  in  any  useful  manner  during  certain 
years  of  franchises,  and  under  good  conditions." 
Those  who  purchased  lands  from  the  savages  or  the 
Company  were  to  have  the  same  forever.  These  and 
various  other  similar  regulations  were  made  by  the 
College  of  Commerce,  for  the  guidance  of  affairs  in 
New  Sweden. 

Resing  embarked  for  New  Sweden  from    n    -  -, 
Gottenberg  in  the  ship  Aren,  Captain  Swen- 
sko.    -The  precise  day  of  his  sailing  is  not  known, 
neither  is  that  of  his  arrival.     It  is  more  than  proba- 


224  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

ble  he  sailed  in  December,  and  according  to  his  own 
account  he  arrived  in  the  Delaware,  or  South  River, 
as  it  was  then  called,  a  few  days  before  the  27th  of 
May.  He  brought  with  him,  besides  a  body  of  officers 
and  troops,  Peter  Lindstrom,  a  military  engineer,  a 

clergyman  named  Peter  ,   and  a  number  of 

settlers,  in  all  numbering  some  two  or  three  hundred 
souls.  They  sailed  up  the  South  River  until  they 
came  near  Fort  Cassimer,  and  were  perceived  by 
the  Dutch,  on  (as  they  allege)  the  last  day  of 
May.  Gerritt  Bikker,  the  commandant  of  Fort  Cas 
simer,  immediately  sent  Adriaen  Van  Tienhooven, 
accompanied  by  some  free  people,  to  see  who  they 
were.  The  next  day  they  returned,  informing  the 
commandant  that  it  was  a  Swedish  ship  with  a  new 
governor,  and  that  they  desired  possession  of  Fort 
Cassimer,  which  .they  said  was  lying  on  the  Swedish 
government's  land.  About  two  hours  afterwards, 
Captain  Swensko  and  about  twenty  soldiers  were  sent 
from  the  Aren  in  a  boat.  They  landed  at  Fort  Cas- 
.simer,  and  were  civilly  received  on  the  beach,  near 
the  gate  of  the  fort  by  Bikker,  who  supposed  they 
would  inform  him,  if  they  had  any  intention  to  com 
mit  hostilities.  But  contrary  to  this,  they  hurried 
through  into  the  fort,  (the  gate  being  open,)  and  some 
immediately  went  to  different  parts  of  the  bastions. 
They  then  demanded,  at  the  point  of  the  sword,  the 
surrender  of  the  fort  as  well  as  the  river. 

This  transaction  was  so  hurried  as  hardly  to  give 
time  enough  for  the  Dutch  to  send  two  commissioners 
on  board  the  Aren  to  demand  of  Rising  his  comuiis- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  225 

sion,  and  some  little  time  for  consultation  ;  but  before 
the  commissioners  had  got  on  board,  there  were  two 
guns  fired  over  the  fort,  charged  with  ball,  as  a  signal. 
The  Dutch  soldiers  were  then  deprived  of  their  side 
arms,  and  aim  taken  on  them  ready  to  fire  because 
they  did  not  deliver  up  their  muskets,  which  were 
immediately  snatched  from  their  hands.  In  the  mean 
time  the  commissioners  who  had  been  sent  on  board 
the  Aren  returned,  and  brought  information  that 
"  there  was  no  desire  to  give  one  hour's  delay ;"  that 
the  commission  of  Rising  was  on  board  the  vessel, 
and  that  the  Dutch  would  immediately  perceive  the 
consequences  of  it.  The  Dutch  soldiers  were  then 
chased  out  of  the  fort,  their  goods  taken  possession 
of,  as  was  likewise  the  property  of  Bikker,  the 
commandant.  The  Swedes  confiscated  every  thing 
in  the  fort.  Bikker,  in  his  letter  to  Stuyvessant, 
giving  an  account  of  the  affair,  says  :  "  I  could  hardly, 
by  entreaties,  bring  it  so  fir  as  to  bear  that  I  with 
my  wife  and  children  were  not  likewise  shut  out 
almost  naked.  All  the  articles  which  were  in  the 
fort  were  confiscated  by  them,  even  the  corn,  having 
hardly  left  as  much  as  to  live  on,  using  it  sparingly, 
&c.  The  governor  pretends  that  her  majesty  has 
license  from  the  state  general  of  the  Netherlands,  that 
she  may  possess  this  river  provisionally."1 

This  was  the  first  fortress  captured  by  civilized 
men  on  the  Delaware.  This  treacherous  capture  of 
the  Dutch  fort,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel,  was  re- 
talliated  on  the  Swedes,  by  the  capture  of  all  their 

1  lloll.  Doc.,  vol.  8,  p.  85.  87. 
15 


226  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

possessions  on  the   Delaware,  and  the  overthrow  of 
their  power  there  forever. 

Fort  Cassimer  was  captured,  according  to  Swedish 
accounts,  on  Trinity  Sunday,  and  they  accordingly 
named  it  Fort  Trinity.1  According  to  Dutch 
accounts,  it  was  captured  on  the  31st  of  May.2  The 
Dutch  garrison  only  numbered  some  ten  or  twelve 
soldiers.  Bikker  was  severely  censured  by  Stuyves- 
sant  and  the  West  India  Company  for  his  easy  sur 
render  of  the  fort:  Stuyvessant  spoke  of  it  as  a 
"  dishonorable  surrender,"  and  the  Company  as  "  a 
cowardly  and  treacherous  surrender."  Bikker's  ac 
count  of  the  affair  sent  to  Stuyvessant  was  unsigned 
by  him.  He  remained  with  the  Swedes,  and  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance.3 

Rising  immediately  after  the  capture  of  the  fort, 
wrote  to  Stuyvessant,  giving  an  account  of  the  affair. 
In  his  letter  he  alleged  "  that  it  was  a  matter  of  too 
great  importance  to  settle  between  him  and  Stuyves 
sant,"  but  that  "  the  sovereigns  on  both  sides  would 
have  to  compromise  the  matter."  He  also  had  the 
fort  rebuilt  and  made  much  stronger,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  Peter  Lindstroem,  the  engineer.  Lindstroern 
also  prepared  for  the  Swedish  government  a  large 
map,  embracing  both  sides  of  the  Delaware  River 
to  Trenton.  The  original  was  destroyed  with  the 
palace  of  Stockholm,  in  1697,  but  a  copy  pre- 

1  Acrelius,  p.  114  ;  Campanius,  p.  82. 

2  The  difference    in  dates  is   more    than    probable  the  difference 
between  the  old  and  new  style.     Therefore,  old  style,  the  fort  would 
be  captured  on  the  21st  of  May  ;  new  style,  the  31st  of  May. 

3  Holl.  Documents,  vol.  8,  p.  89. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  227 

viously  taken  still  remained  among  the  royal  archives 
in  1834.1 

On  the  2d  of  June,  Stuyvessant  had  made  a  propo 
sition  to  the  council  at  New  Amsterdam  to  abandon 
Fort  Cassimer.  It  was,  however,  decided  still  to 
continue  the  garrison  there.  The  reason  for  the  pro 
position,  it  is  supposed,  was  the  threatened  appear 
ance  of  danger  from  the  English.  The  news  of  the 
Swedish  attack  on  the  fort  had  not  then  reached  New 
Amsterdam,  although  it  was  in  the  Swedish  posses, 
sion. 

The  Dutch  residing  near  Fort  Cassimer  had  already 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  become  subjects  to  the 
Swedish  crown.  Rising  accordingly  prepared  to 
make  a  treaty  with  the  Indians.  On  the  17th  of 
June,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Printz  Hall,  on  Tinicum 
Island,  of  ten  of  the  Indian  sachems  or  chiefs,  and 
there  "  a  talk  was .  made  to  them,"  in  which  it  was 
offered  on  behalf  of  the  Queen  of  Sweden,  to  renew 
the  ancient  league  of  friendship  that  subsisted  between 
them  and  the  Swedes,  who  had  purchased  of  them 
the  land  which  they  occupied.  The  Indians  com 
plained  that  the  Swedes  had  brought  much  evil  upon 
them,  for  many  of  them  had  died  since  their  coming 
into  the  country.2  A  number  of  presents  were  made 
and  distributed  amongst  them,  on  which  they  went 
out  and  conferred  for  some  time  amongst  themselves, 

1  A  copy  of  this  map  is  in  the  possession  of  Thompson  Westcott, 
Esq.,  author  of  a  valuable  series  of  articles  on  the  history  of  Phila 
delphia,  now  being  published  in  the  Philadelphia  Sunday  Despatch. 

2  This  year  the  Indians  held  a  council  to  consider  whether  they 
should  destroy  the  Swedes.     See  ante  pages  81,  82,  83,  84  and  85. 


228  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

and  then  returned,  and  addressed  the  Swedes.  Their 
principal  spokesman  was  a  chief  named  Naaman,  whose 
dominions  were  on  the  creek  of  that  name.  This 
(Naamnn's)  creek  is  the  most  northerly  of  our  streams, 
and  flows  into  the  Delaware,  a  little  more  than  a  mile 
from  the  Pennsylvania  line.  Naaman  made  a  speech, 
in  which  he  rebuked  the  rest  for  having  spoken  "  evil 
of  the  Swedes,"  and  done  them  an  injury,  and  told 
them  he  "  hoped  they  would  do  so  no  more,  for  tne 
Swedes  were  very  good  people."  "  Look,"  said  he, 
pointing  to  the  presents,  "  see  what  they  have  brought 
to  us,  for  which  they  desire  our  friendship."  So  say 
ing,  he  stroked  himself  three  times  down  his  arm, 
which  among  the  Indians  is  a  token  of  friendship ; 
and  afterwards  he  thanked  the  Swedes  on  behalf  of 
the  people,  for  the  presents  they  had  received,  and 
said  that  "  friendship  should  be  observed  more  strictly 
between  them  than  it  had  been  before ;"  that  "  the 
Swedes  and  the  Indians  had  been  in  Governor  Printz's 
time  as  one  body  and  one  heart,  (stroking  his  breast 
as  he  spoke,)  and  that  thenceforth  they  should  be  as 
one  head  ;"  in  token  of  which  he  took  hold  of  his  head 
with  both  his  hands  and  made  a  motion  as  if  he  were 
tying  a  strong  knot.  And  then  he  made  this  com 
parison,  that  "  as  the  calabash  was  round  without  any 
crack,  so  they  should  be  a  compact  body  without  any 
fissure ;"  and  that  if  "  any  one  should  attempt  to  do 
any  harm"  to  the  Indians,  the  Swedes  should  imme 
diately  inform  them  of  it,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Indians  would  "  give  immediate  notice  to  the  Chris 
tians  of  any  plot  against  them,  even  if  it  were  in  the 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  229 

middle  of  the  night."  On  this  they  were  answered 
that  this  would  indeed  be  a  true  and  lasting  friendship, 
if  every  one  would  agree  to  it,  on  which  they  gave 
a  general  shout  in  token  of  consent.  Immediately 
upon  this  the  great  guns  were  fired,  which  pleased 
them  extremely,  and  they  said,  "Poo,  hoo,  hoo; 
mockiricJc  pickon;"  that  is  to  say,  "  hear  and  believe 
the  great  guns  are  fired."  Then  they  were  treated 
with  wine  and  brandy.  Another  of  the  Indians  then 
stood  up  and  spoke,  and  admonished  all  in  general, 
that  they  should  "keep  the  league  and  friendship 
which  had  been  made  with  the  Christians,"  and  in 
"  no  manner  to  violate  the  same,"  nor  do  them  "  any 
injury,  or  their  hogs  or  cattle,"  and  that  if  any  one 
"should  be  guilty  of  such  violation,  they  should  be 
severely  punished,  as  an  example  to  others."  The 
Indians  then  advised  some  Swedes  to  settle  at  Passy- 
unk,  where  there  lived  a  great  number  of  Indians, 
that  they  might  be  "  watched  and  punished  if  they 
did  any  mischief."  They  also  expressed  a  wish  that 
the  title  to  the  lands  which  the  Swedes  had  purchased 
should  be  confirmed,  on  which  the  copies  of  the  agree 
ment  (for  the  originals  were  sent  to  Stockholm)  were 
read  to  them  word  for  word.  When  those  who  signed 
the  deed  heard  their  names,  they  appeared  to  rejoice ; 
but  when  the  names  were  read  of  those  that  were 
dead,  they  "  hung  their  heads  in  sorrow." 

"  There  was  then  set  upon  the  floor  in  the  great 
hall  two  large  kettles,  and  many  other  vessels  filled 
with  sappaun,  which  is  a  kind  of  hasty  pudding,  made 
of  maize  or  Indian  corn.  The  sachems  sat  by  them- 


230  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

selves,  the  other  Indians  all  fed  heartily  and  were 
satisfied."1 

The  English  still  persisted  in  their  claims  to  the 
Delaware,  and  having  heard  of  the  arrival  of  Rising, 
at  a  court  held  at  New  Haven,  July  5th,  it  was 
ordered  that  a  letter  should  be  written  to  him,  in 
forming  of  the  "propriety  which  some  of  the  New 
Haven  colony  have  to  large  tracts  of  land  on  both 
sides  of  the  Delaware,  and  desiring  a  neighborly  cor 
respondence  with  the  Swedes  both  in  trading  and 
planting." 

The  Dutch  and  Swedish  population  on  the  Dela 
ware  was  at  this  time,  according  to  a  letter  of  Rising 
to  Sweden,  dated  the  lith  of  July,  three  hundred  and 
sixty-eight  persons.  When  Rising  arrived,  there  were 
only  seventy  persons.  So  that  in  a  few  months,  by 
various  arrivals,  the  population  had  increased  more 
than  five  fold.  The  same  letter  desired  the  officer  to 
whom  it  is  written  to  "  look  out  for  a  zvife"  for  him. 
Rising's  residence  was  in  the  fort  at  Christina.2  In 
the  same  letter  he  recommended  John  Poppegoya  as 
Schuten.  John  Amundsen,  who  was  appointed  to 
command  the  militia  on  the  Delaware,  as  well  as  the 
seamen,  it  is  more  than  probable  never  came  to  Dela 
ware,  as  there  is  no  mention  of  him  in  any  proceed 
ings  taking  place  there. 

In  August,  Axel  Oxensteirn,  the  Chancellor  of  Swe 
den,  who  did  so  much  for  the  settlement  of  Delaware, 
died.  Christina,  Queen  of  Sweden,  (who  may  be  reck- 

1  This  account  is  copied  from  Campanius,  pages  TO,  77,  78. 

2  Translated  from  a  French  MSS. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  231 

oned  also  Queen  of  Delaware,)  abdicated  the  throne  in 
favor  of  her  cousin,  Charles  Gustavus.  On  the  16th 
of  July,  peace  was  celebrated  between  England  and 
Holland,  who  had  been  at  war.  The  hostilities  between 
those  nations  were  confined  to  Europe.  Notwith 
standing  the  matters  in  dispute,  there  were  no  hostili 
ties  between  them  on  this  continent. 

The  unprovoked  assault  of  the  Swedes  on  Fort 
Cassimer,  and  the  capture  of  the  same,  was  now  re- 
talliated  on  them  by  the  Dutch.  On  the  27th  of 
September,  a  Swedish  ship,  called  the  Golden  Shark, 
commanded  by  Hendrick  Van  Elswyck,  bound  to 
South  River,  by  mistake  or  ignorance  of  the  pilot,  or 
from  some  other  cause,  put  into  the  North  River,  and 
got  behind  Staten  Island.  On  discovering  his  error, 
the  captain  dispatched  a  boat  to  Manhattan  for  a  pilot 
to  take  him  to  South  River.  Stuyvessant  at  once  ar 
rested  the  master  and  seized  the  vessel,  and  brought 
it  up  to  New  Amsterdam.  The  crew  of  the  Shark 
(which  was  described  by  the  Dutch  as  an  old  and 
leaky  fluyt  of  forty  to  forty-five  tons  burthen)  were 
allowed  to  stay  on  board  the  vessel,  whilst  Elswyck 
was  sent  on  to  the  South  River,  to  invite  Rising  to 
visit  Manhattan,  and  arrange  the  difference  between 
them.  Stuyvessant  agreeing  that  if  Fort  Cassimer 
was  restored  to  the  Dutch,  that  they  in  return  would 
restore  to  the  Swedes  the  Golden  Shark  and  its  cargo. 
The  rudder  was,  however,  taken  from  the  vessel,  and 
two  Dutchmen  placed  on  board.  Elswyck  accordingly 
went  to  the  South  River,  but  Rising  refused  to  visit 
Manhattan,  preferring  to  hold  on  to  Fort  Cassimer, 
and  let  Stuyvessant  have  the  vessel. 


232  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

The  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  met  at 
Hartford,  and  on  the  23d  of  September  addressed  a 
letter  to  Rising,  again  urging  the  claims  of  the  New 
Haven  Englishmen  to  land  on  the  Delaware.  Rising, 
it  appeared,  had  written  to  them  on  the  1st  of  August, 
in  which  he  spoke  of  "  a  treaty  or  conference  before 
Mr.  Endicott,  wherein  New  Haven's  right  was  silenced 
or  suppressed,"  and  asserted  the  right  of  the  Swedes 
to  the.  "  land  on  both  sides  the  Delaware  Bay  and 
River  from  the  Capes."  "  This,"  said  the  letter  of  the 
commissioners,  "is  either  your  own  mistake  or  at 
least  the  error  of  them  that  so  inform  you.  We  have 
perused  and  considered  the  several  purchases  our  con 
federates  of  New  Haven  have  there  made,  the  conside 
rations  given,  acknowledged  by  the  Indian  proprietors 
under  their  hands,  and  confirmed  by  many  Christian 
witnesses,  whereby  their  right  appeareth  so  clear  to 
us,  that  we  cannot  but  assert  their  just  title  to  said 
lands." 

In  the  meantime,  Stuyvessant,  who,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  the  seizure  of  the  Golden  Shark,  had  quietly 
endured  the  outrage  of  the  seizure  of  Fort  Cassirner 
by  the  Swedes,  had  received  information  in  regard  to 
that  affair  from  Holland.  The  directors  of  the  West 
India  Company  were  greatly  exasperated,  and  in  a 
letter  to  him,  dated  November  16th,  issued  orders 
to  Stuyvessant  "to  exert  every  nerve  to  revenge  the 
injury,"  and  not  only  to  recover  the  fort,  and  "  restore 
affairs  to  their  former  situation,"  but  to  drive  the 
Swedes  from  "  every  side  of  the  river."  Only  that 
those  "who  desired  to  settle  under  the  Dutch  govern- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  233 

ment  should  be  allowed  to."  They  also  desired  Stuy- 
vessant,  if  possible,  to  get  the  Swedes  to  settle  in 
other  places  within  the  Dutch  district,  as  they  "  would 
be  more  gratified  if  the  borders  of  the  river  wrere 
settled  by  Dutchmen."  "  No  means,"  said  they, 
"  ought  to  be  neglected  in  case  of  success,  which  God 
may  grant  for  its  accomplishment,  either  by  encourag 
ing  Dutch  settlers,  by  bounties,  or  other  more  power 
ful  luring  motives."  They  promised  him  "  succors, 
both  in  vessels,  materials,  and  soldiers,"  and  ordered 
him  to  "  press  any  vessels  into  his  service  that  might 
be  in  New  Netherlands."  They  informed  him  that 
he  had  nothing  to  fear  from  any  other  enemy,  being 
at  peace  with  the  English,  so  that  he  could  "  take  all 
the  soldiers  at  New  Amsterdam."  He  was  also  in 
structed  to  accept  the  services  of  all  persons  who 
might  offer  their  services,"  as  the  citizens  of  New 
Amsterdam  were  fully  strong  enough  to  protect  that 
city  during  his  absence  on  the  expedition  to  Delaware. 
They  also  instructed  him.  to  apprehend  Gerrett  Bikker, 
the  late  commander  of  Fort  Cassimer,  who,  "from 
documents  and  private  information,  they  are  compelled 
to  conclude,  had  acted  very  unfaithfully  and  treacher 
ously."  That  he  should  be  punished,  "  as  an  example 
to  others  who  had  shared  more  or  less  in  that  shame 
ful  transaction."1 

Agreeable  to  these  instructions,  Stuyvessant  went 
silently  though  actively  to  work  to  prepare  a  fleet 
and  armament.  For  some  months  previously  there 
had  been  protesting  by  the  Swedes  and  counter  pro- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  4,  pa^es  107,  150. 


234  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

testing  by  the  Dutch  in  relation  to  the  seizure  of  the 
Shark,  in  which  the  title  of  both  to  the  South  River 
were  again  and  again  gone  over.  But  this  was  now 
stopped,  and  whilst  the  Swedes  were  lulled  into  secu 
rity,  and  made  no  preparations  for  defence,  the  Dutch 
were  quietly  and  energetically  pushing  forward  their 
armaments  to  expel  them  from  the  Delaware  by  force 
of  arms. 

The  English  in  New  Haven  still  continued  to  dis 
cuss  at  their  meetings  at  the  court  at  New  Haven, 
and  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies, 
their  right  to  Delaware,  and  the  .best  means  of  obtain 
ing  the  same.  On  the  27th  of  November,  the  court 
at  New  Haven  met,  and  amongst  other  things  in  rela 
tion  to  it  discussed  the  propriety  of  purchasing  the 
right  of  the  English  proprietors  for  the  lands  they 
claimed  there.  They  agreed  to  take  three  hundred 
pounds  for  it.  Several  declared  their  willingness  to 
go  if  they  had  the  right  leaders.  It  was  proposed  to 
two  of  the  magistrates,  Samuel  Eaton  and  Francis 
Newman,  who  agreed  to  take  the  matter  into  conside 
ration.  Another  court  was  held  at  New  Haven, 
December  llth.  Eaton  and  Newman  both  made 
similar  answers  as  regards  taking  the  lead  of  the 
colony  to  Delaware.  Eaton  answered  that  "  it  was 
necessary  there  should  be  some  leader  to  such  a  work, 
but  for  his  part,  this  (New  Haven)  jurisdiction  having 
an  interest  in  him,  which  he  must  have  respect  to, 
but  if  it  appears  that  God  called  him  thereunto,  he 
should  be  willing."  Newman  answered  that  "if  a 
meet  number  for  quality  and  quantity  were  ready 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  235 

to  go,  he  was   willing    to    accompany    them   in   the 


spring."1 


Charles  Gustavus.  King  of  Sweden,  (also,  therefore, 
King  of  Delaware,)  granted  by  a  decree  to  the  Swedish 
West  India  Company,  on  the  23d  of  December,  the 
right  of  importing  tobacco  into  Sweden.  The  decree 
states  that  it  hoped  that  "  not  only  New  Sweden  will 
be  able  to  support  itself  and  prosper,  but  also  that  our 
nation  wrill  have  greater  opportunity  and  facility  for 
accustoming  itself  to  the  navigation  and  commerce  of 
America."2 

The  following  were  the  estimated  expenses  for  New 
Sweden  for  the  year  1655,  viz.  :  One  commandant, 
75  silver  dollars  per  month ;  one  captain,  36 ;  one 
lieutenant,  24;  one  ensign,  18;  one  sergeant-major, 
15;  three  gunners,  8,  each  of  whom  is  to  have  charge 
of  the  magazine  in  his  redoubt ;  one  corporal,  9  ;  one 
drummer,  7i  ;  thirty-six  soldiers  at  4  dollars  each; 
one  provost,  9  ;  one  executioner,  6  ;  3  priests,  10 ;  one 
superior  commissary  who  shall  also  be  book-keeper, 
20 ;  one  fiscal,  who  shall  also  be  adjutant  to  the  com 
mander,  12 ;  one  barber,  (surgeon,)  15 ;  one  engineer, 
who  is  also  secretary,  12;  one  sub-commissary  placed 
at  the  river  Hoernkill,  (Lewistown  Creek,)  12;  total, 
550?  dollars  per  month,  6,606  dollars  of  silver  per 
annum,  or  4,404  rix  dollars.3 

1  Xcw  Haven  Records,  pp.  160,  161. 

2  Register  of  Perm.,  vol.  5,  p.  15. 

3  Penn.  Register,  vol.  5,  p.  15. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


Petition  of  Jno.  Cooper  and  Thos.  Munsen  to  General  Court  of  New 
Haven — Desire  of  magistrate  to  accompany  expedition — To  loan 
them  guns  and  powder — To  assist  with  money — Answer  of  Xew 
Haven  Court — Delaware  and  New  Haven  to  be  under  one  juris 
diction — Governor  to  reside  one  year  at  Delaware  and  one  at 
New  Haven — Second  meeting  of  New  Haven  Court — Swedes 
supposed  to  be  too  numerous  to  allow  of  English  settlement — 
Party  to  go  and  treat  with  the  Swedes — English  attempt  to  settle 
Delaware  appears  to  be  abandoned — Dutch  make  preparations 
for  the  conquest  of  the  Delaware — Send  ship-of-war  Balance  from 
Holland — French  privateer  hired — Day  of  fast  appointed — Sail 
ing  of  the  expedition — They  reach  the  Delaware — It  captures 
Fort  Cassimer — Terms  of  surrender — Those  who  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  Dutch  allowed  to  stay — Twenty  Swedes  take  it 
— Rising  considers  the  surrender  dishonorable — Swedish  detach 
ment  captured — Rising  sends  Elswyck  to  remonstrate  with  Stuy- 
vessant — He  endeavors  to  persuade  him  not  to  attack  Fort  Chris 
tina — Fort  Christina  besieged — Arrest  of  Swen  Hook  as  a  Spy- 
Capture  of  Fort  Christina — Terms  of  surrender — Outrages  by 
Dutch — Stuyvessant  offers  Fort  Christina  to  Rising,  who  refuses 
it — Rising  plundered — His  departure — Swedish  preuchcrs  ex 
pelled — The  name  of  the  State  New  Netherlands — Original 
names  of  rivers  and  places — Cooper's  Island — First  manufactory 
in  Delaware — Names  of  Swedish  families — Dwelling  places  of 
Swedes. 


r  THE  General  Court  met  at  New  Haven  on 

J  the  30th  of  January,  again  to  take  into  con 
sideration  the  matters  in  relation  to  Delaware,  when  a 
petition  was  presented  from  John  Cooper  and  Thomas 
Munsen  in  behalf  of  some  fifty  or  sixty  that  were 
desirous  of  settling  in  Delaware  Bay.  They  desired 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  237 

that  Samuel  Eaton  and  Francis  Newman,  two  of  the 
magistrates,  should  be  allowed  to  visit  Delaware,  and 
examine  into  affairs  there,  to  see  what  chances  of  suc 
cess  there  would  be  for  an  English  settlement  there ; 
and  that  if  they  did  not  desire  to  pay  their  expenses, 
they  should  be  paid  by  New  Haven.  They  also  re 
quested  that  two  great  guns  and  powder  might  be 
granted  them,  that  the  lands  of  those  going  might  be 
freed  for  a  time  *from  rates  and  public  charges,  and 
that  a  sum  of  money  might  be  raised  in  that  jurisdic 
tion,  "  either  to  buy  a  small  vessel  that  should  attend 
their  service,  or  otherwise,  as  should  be  thought  meet." 
The  court,  in  answer  to  the  petition,  allowed  Newman 
and  Eaton,  and  such  others  as  might  choose  to  follow 
them,  to  go  to  Delaware.  Instructed  them  "  either 
to  take  the  propriety  of  all  the  purchased  lands  into 
their  own  hands,  or  grant  it  to  such  as  should  under 
take  the  planting  of  it."  Desired  "  that  it  should  re 
main  part  of  New  Haven  jurisdiction."  Provided  for 
its  future  government,  by  declaring  that  it  (the  Eng 
lish  plantations  on  Delaware)  should  become  greater 
in  population  than  New  Haven.  That  their  "  due 
consideration  should  be  taken  for  the  ease  and  con 
venience  of  both  parts,"  so  that  the  governor  might 
be  one  year  on  the  Delaware  and  another  at  New 
Haven.  That  the  court  for  making  laws  should  be 
ordinarily  but  once  a  year,  and  at  the  place  of  the 
governor's  residence.  That  if  the  plantations  should 
increase  in  Delaware  and  diminish  in  New  Haven, 
that  possibly  in  that  case  the  governor  might  reside 
constantly  in  Delaware,  and  the  deputy  governor  re- 


238  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

side  at  New  Haven.  But  the  lesser  part  of  the  juris 
diction  was  to  be  promoted  and  eased  by  the  greater 
part,  "  both  in  rates  and  otherwise."  In  relation  to 
the  lending  or  granting  of  any  thing,  they  promised  to 
propound  it  to  the  several  plantations,  "  and  promote 
the  business  for  procuring  something  in  that  way."1 

In  the  meantime  John  Cooper,  one  of  the  peti 
tioners,  went  to  Delaware,  and  a  special  court  of  New 
Haven  was  called  on  the  16th  of  March  to  hear  his 
report.  He  stated  that  he  found  "  little  encouragement 
in  the  bay;  but  few  were  willing  to  engage  in  the  settle 
ment  at  present."  During  the  debate  on  the  subject,  a 
Mr.  Goodyear  said,  "  Notwithstanding  the  discourage 
ment  from  the  bay,  if  a  considerable  number  appear 
that  will  go,  he  would  adventure  his  person  and  estate 
to  go  with  them,  in  that  design,  but  a  report  that 
three  ships  had  come  to  the  Swedes,  seems  to  make 
the  matter  more  difficult."  After  debating  the  case, 
it  was  voted  that  New  Haven  should  be  at  twenty  or 
thirty  pounds  charge,  and  that  Mr.  Goodyear,  Ser 
geant  Jeffery,  and  such  others  as  they  should  think 
fit  to  take  with  them,  might  go  to  Delaware  with  a 
letter  for  the  commonwealth,  and  "  treat  with  the 
Swedes  about  a  favorable  settlement  of  the  English 
on  their  own  right;  and  then,  after  harvest,  if  things 
be  cleared,  the  company  may  resort  thither  for  the 
planting  of  it."2 

Another  court  was  held  at  New  Haven  on  the  9th 
of  April,  in  relation  to  this  matter.  Several  citizens 

1  New  Haven  Records,  pp.  83  and  85. 

2  New  Haven  Records,  p.  165. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  239 

of  New  Haven  being  willing  to  go,  it  was  ordered  that 
they  should  still  belong  to  the  jurisdiction  of  New 
Haven.  That  their  families  should  not  be  compelled 
to  employ  watchmen  in  their  absence.  That  such  of 
their  lands  and  houses  as  lay  unimproved,  should  be 
free  from  all  rates  for  one  year.  They  also  agreed 
to  lend  them  two  guns  belonging  to  the  town,  (if  they 
could  get  permission  of  the  jurisdiction  for  it,)  half  a 
hundred  shot,  a  proportion  of  musket  bullets,  and  a 

barrel  of  powder.1 

This  is  the  last  account  we  have  of  the  attempt 
of  the  English  of  New  Haven  to  settle  on  the  Dela 
ware.  Probably  the  great  strength  and  energy  ex 
hibited  by  the  Dutch  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Swedish 
power  deterred  them  from  carrying  out  their  inten 
tions.  The  United  Colonies  were  not  inclined  cr  pre 
pared  to  go  to  war  with  the  Dutch  for  such  purposes, 
and  New  Haven  itself  would  have  been  too  weak 
alone  to  engage  in  such  an  enterprise.  The  desire  of 
New  Haven,  moreover,  appeared  to  have  been  rather 
to  have  such  a  settlement  made  by  the  private  enter 
prise  of  her  citizens,  than  to  engage  in  it  as  a  com 
munity. 

In  the  meantime,  extensive  preparations  were  being 
made  both  in  Holland  and  Manhattan  to  recover  Fort 
Cassimer,  and  overturn  the  Swedish  power  on  the  Dela 
ware.  In  Holland,  the  drum  was  beaten  daily  for 
recruits.  A  ship  of  war,  called  the  Balance,  under 
command  of  Captain  Frederick  de  Koninck,  was  sent 
over,  as  well  as  two  or  three  vessels,  amongst  which 

1  Xew  Haven  Records,  pp.  166,  167. 


240  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

were  the  ships  Great  Christopher  and  King  Solomon. 
Gunners,  carpenters,  and  powder  were  also  sent  from 
Holland.  In  New  Amsterdam,  every  exertion  was 
made  to  procure  volunteers.  Stuyvessant  being  sick, 
Vice-Director  Mathias  De  Stille,  Attorney-General 
Tienhooven,  and  Captain  Frederick  de  Koninck  were 
appointed  to  superintend  the  fitting  out  of  the  expedi 
tion.  A  French  privateer,  named  the  L'Esperance, 
Captain  Jean  Flamand,that  happened  to  be  at  New  Am 
sterdam  was  also  hired  for  the  occasion.  After  hiring 
and  pressing  many  vessels  into  the  service  that  hap 
pened  to  be  in  the  harbor  of  New  Amsterdam,  and 
getting  supplies  of  men,  provisions,  and  ammunition 
from  others,  the  expedition,  by  the  5th  of  September, 
was  prepared  to  sail.  They  had,  however,  previously, 
on  the  25th  of  August,  held  "a  general  fast,  thanks 
and  prayer  day,"  according  to  their  language,  to  "im 
plore  the  only  bountiful  God  that  it  may  please  him 
to  bless  the  projected  expedition,  only  undertaken  for 
the  greater  security  and  extension  and  consolidation 
of  this  province,  and  to  render  it  prosperous  and  suc 
cessful,  to  the  glory  of  his  name."  The  director  and 
council  prohibited  "all  usual  exercises,  as  plowing, 
sowing,  mowing,  fishing  and  hunting  on  that  day,  and 
all  other  amusements  and  plays,  all  tippling  and  in 
toxication,  under  penalty  of  arbitrary  correction."1 

On  Sunday,  the  5th  of  September,  accordingly  the 
expedition  sailed.  It  consisted  of  seven  vessels, 
having  on  board  six  or  seven  hundred  men.  Stuyves 
sant  was  accompanied  by  De  Stille,  the  vice-director, 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  9,  pp.  31,  32. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  241 

by  Captain  de  Koninck,  who  commanded  the  naval 
part  of  the  expedition,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Megapolinsis, 
his  chaplain.  The  next  day  (the  Gth  of  September) 
they  arrived  in  the  bay  of  South  River.  The  weather 
being  fine,  they  met  with  no  accident.  Owing  to  "a 
profound  calm  and  inconvenient  tide,  they  did  not 
reach  Fort  Elsingburg,  which  was  then  abandoned 
and  in  ruins,  until  the  day  following.  Here  Stuyves- 
sant  divided  the  force  into  five  sections,  each  under 
its  own  colors.  Making  their  preparations,  took  them 
some  days.  On  the  next  Friday  morning,  they 
weighed  their  anchors  and  came  opposite  Fort  Cassi- 
mer,  about  eight  or  nine  o'clock,  and  anchored  a  short 
distance  above  the  fortress.  Stuyvessant  sent  Lieu 
tenant  Smith  with  "a  drummer  towards  the  fort,  to 
claim  the  restitution  of  (to  use  the  Dutch  language) 
their  own  property"1 

The  Swedes  had  been  informed  some  time  before 
this,  by  the  savages,  of  the  intentions  of  the  Dutch, 
and  Rising  had  caused  Fort  Cassimer  to  be  supplied 
with  men  and  ammunition,  to  the  best  of  his  ability, 
and  had  instructed,  in  writing,2  Captain  Swen  Schute, 
to  defend  the  fort  if  it  was  attacked.  He  also  ordered 
him  to  send  on  board  these  ships  when  they  ap 
proached,  and  demand  of  them  whether  they  came  as 
friends,  and  in  any  case  not  to  run  by  the  fort,  upon 
pain  of  being  fired  upon,  (which  in  such  case  they 

1  We  follow,  in  the  account  of  this  expedition,  Dutch  dates,  which 
differs  ten  days  from  the  Swedish. 

2  Stuyvessant's  letter  to  the  directors  of  the  West  India  Company. 
Albany  Records,  vol.  13,  p.  348. 

16 


242  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

could  not  reckon  but  as  an  act  of  hostility).  On  the 
contrary,  if  they  were  minded  to  treat  with  them  "  as 
friends  concerning  their  territories  and  boundaries,  he 
was  to  compliment  them  with  a  Swedish  national 
salute,  and  assure  them  that  they  were  well  disposed 
to  a  fast  friendship."  Schute,  however,  disobeyed  his 
instructions,  and  allowed  the  Dutch  ships  to  pass  the 
fort  without  firing  a  single  shot.1 

Upon  the  demand  to  surrender  the  fort,  Schute  re 
quested  time  for  consideration,  and  until  he  should 
communicate  with  Governor  Rising.  This  was  re 
jected.  In  the  meantime,  all  the  passes  leading  from 
the  fortress  to  Christina  were  occupied  by  fifty  of  the 
Dutch  soldiers.  They  even  placed  their  forces  as 
high  up  as  Christina  Creek.  Schute  was  then  a  sec 
ond  time  warned  to  surrender  to  save  bloodshed.  He 
answered  this  second  summons  by  soliciting  an  inter 
view  for  negotiation,  which  being  acceded  to,  he  met 
the  Dutch  in  a  valley  about  midway  between  the  fort 
and  a  newly  constructed  battery.  He  then  requested 
to  be  allowed  to  dispatch  an  open  letter  to  Rising, 
after  it  was  shown  to  the  Dutch,  which  proposal  was 
at  once  rejected.  He  then  left  the  Dutch,  dissatisfied, 
on  which  they  approached  the  valley  in  sight  of  the 
fort. 

In  the  meantime,  after  the  Dutch  had  raised  their 
breastworks  to  a  man's  height,  the  surrender  of  the 
fort  was  demanded  for  the  third  and  last  time. 
Schute  (the  Dutch  say)  then  humbly  supplicated  a 

1  Rising's  official  report,  New  York  Historical  Coll.,  vol.  1,  pp. 
443,  448. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  243 

further  delay,  until  early  the  next  morning,  which 
was  granted,  because  they  would  not  be  ready  with 
their  battery,  to  approach  yet  nearer  the  fort  under 
protection  of  their  guns.  The  next  morning,  the  llth 
of  September,  Schute  went  on  board  the  ship  Weigh 
Scales  or  Balance,  and  signed  the  capitulation  of  Fort 
Cassimer  on  the  following  conditions,  viz. : 

"  1.  The  commander  shall,  whenever  it  may  please 
him,  or  when  he  obtains  an  opportunity,  by  the 
arrival  of  the  Croon,  or  by  any  other  private  vessels, 
be  permitted  to  transport  from  the  Fortress  Cassimer, 
all  the  artillery  belonging  to  the  crown,  either  large 
or  small  guns,  as  they  were  designed  by  the  commis 
sioner,  4  iron  guns  of  14  Ib.  balls,  and  five  pieces,  viz., 
4  small  and  1  large  one. 

"  2.  Twelve  men,  with  their  full  arms  and  accou 
trements,  shall  be  permitted  to  march  from  the  fort 
with  the  commissioner  as  his  life-guard,  the  remainder 
only  with  their  side  arms,  provided  that  the  guns  and 
muskets  belonging  to  the  crown  shall  remain  at  its 
disposal,  or  that  of  the  commissioner,  to  transport 
them  from  the  fortress  whenever  the  commander  may 
have  an  opportunity  of  bringing  it  to  its  execution. 

"  3.  To  the  commander  shall  be  delivered  in  safety 
all  his  personal  property  and  furniture,  which  he  may 
either  carry  with  him  or  send  for,  when  it  shall  please 
him,  and  so,  too,  all  the  goods  of  all  the  other  officers, 
provided  that  the  commander  remains  obliged  to  sur 
render,  this  day,  the  Fortress  Cassimer  to  the  director 
general,  with  all  its  guns,  ammunition,  and  imple 
ments  of  war,  and  other  effects  belonging  to  the 


244  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

general  privileged  West  India  Company.  Done,  con- 
eluded,  and  signed  by  the  combatants  on  the  llth  of 
September,  A.  D.  1665,  on  board  the  man-of-war 
Weigh  Scale  (or  Balance)  at  anchor  in  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Fort  Cassimer. 

"  P.  STUYVESSANT. 

"  SWEN    SCHUTE."1 

After  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  an  offer  was  made 
to  the  effect  that  all  persons  who  would  take  the  oath 
were  permitted  to  remain  as  freemen  of  South  River, 
whilst  those  who  had  any  conscientious  scruples 
against  taking  it  were  to  be  allowed  to  dispose  of 
their  goods  to  the  best  advantage,  and  have  a  free 
passage  out  of  the  country.  Twenty  of  the  Swedes 
at  once  took  the  oath,  of  whom,  however,  only  seven 
wrote  their  names.  Swen  Schute,  the  commander, 
also  afterwards  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  re 
mained  in  the  country.  Those  of  the  Swedish  garri 
son  that  did  not  take  this  oath  were  transported  to 
Manhattan. 

Rising,  in  his  official  report  of  this  affair,  severely 
censures  Swen  Schute  for  the  surrender  of  the  fort 
ress.  He  blames  him  for  allowing  the  Dutch  ships 
to  pass  the  fort  without  firing  a  gun,  whereby  he 
says  "  they  gained  command  of  the  fort  and  the  whole 
river,  and  cut  off  communication  between  the  forts  by 
posting  troops  between  them  as  high  up  as  Christina 
creek.  He  also  calls  the  surrender  a  "  dishonorable 
capitulation,"  in  which  "  he  forgot  to  stipulate  a  place 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  13,  pp.  349,  350. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  245 

in  which  he,  with  his  people  and  effects,  might  retire." 
He  also  complains  of  his  "  subscribing  the  capitulation 
not  in  the  fort,  or  in  any  indifferent  place,  but  on 
board  a  Dutch  ship."  But  the  world  and  impartial 
minds  will  justify  Schute's  surrender.  The  Dutch 
force  was  so  overwhelming,  that  resistance  was  hope 
less,  and  it  could  only  have  resulted  in  the  shedding 
of  human  blood,  without  any  possible  benefit.  Rising 
himself  afterwards  surrendered  with  the  main  forces 
to  the  Dutch  with  scarcely  any  more  resistance  than 
that  made  by  Schute.  The  only  hope  of  the  Swedes 
to  have  defended  themselves  successfully,  would  have 
been  in  the  concentration  of  their  forces  at  some  one 
point,  either  at  Christina,  Cassimer  or  Tinicum,  where 
they  might  for  a  time  have  successfully  withstoood  a 
seige,  and  possibly  tired  the  Dutch  out,  who  were 
not  prepared  for  operations  that  required  length  of 
time.  But  it  is  very  doubtful  if  even  this  course 
would  have  been  successful,  so  great  was  the  power 
of  the  Dutch  in  comparison  with  that  of  the  Swedes. 
The  whole  population  of  the  Swedes  the  year  before, 
including  Hollanders,  (who  of  course  could  not  be 
relied  upon  to  fight  against  their  own  countrymen,) 
men,  women,  and  children,  only  numbered  368  per 
sons,  whilst  the  Dutch  force  numbered  between  600 
and  700  armed  men. 

Fort  Cassimer  had  fallen  so  suddenly  that  Rising, 
ignorant  of  its  surrender,  had  sent  nine  or  ten  of  his 
best  men  to  strengthen  the  garrison.  This  detach 
ment  crossed  the  Christina  Creek  early  in  the  morn 
ing  of  (according  to  Swedish  accounts)  the  1st  of 


246  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

September,  at  the  place,  a  few  years  since,  known  as 
the  Old  Ferry,  but  at  present  occupied  by  the 
Diamond  State  Iron  Works.  As  soon  as  they  arrived 
at  the  opposite  bank,  the  Dutch,  to  the  number  of 
fifty  or  sixty  strong,  attacked  them,  and  summoned 
them  to  surrender,  but  they  put  themselves  in  a  pos 
ture  of  defence,  and,  after  skirmishing  with  the  Dutch, 
were  all  taken  prisoners,  except  twTo,  who  retreated  to 
the  boat,  and  were  several  times  fired  upon  by  the 
enemy  without  being  killed  or  wounded.  Upon  this 
the  Swedes  fired  upon  the  Dutch  from  the  fort, 
whereupon  they  retired  into  the  w7oods,  and  after 
wards  harshly  and  cruelly  treated  such  of  the  Swedes 
as  fell  into  their  hands. 

The  same  day  the  factor  Elsnyck  was  sent  down 
by  Rising  from  Fort  Christina  to  Stuyvessant  to  de 
mand  an  explanation  of  his  conduct,  and  to  dissuade 
him  from  further  hostilities,  as  Rising  asserted  he 
"  could  not  be  persuaded  that  Stuyvessant  seriously 
purposed  to  disturb  the  Swedes  in  their  lawful  do 
minions."  Stuyvessant  at  first  threatened  to  detain 
Elswyck  as  a  spy.  However,  upon  his  asking  him 
the  reason  and  intention  of  the  arrival  of  the  Dutch, 
u  with  the  orders  of  the  principals,"  Stuyvessant  in 
formed  him  the  Dutch  "  claimed  the  whole  river  and 
all  the  Swedish  territory  thereon."  He  then  re 
quested  the  Dutch  to  remain  satisfied  with  Fort 
Cassimer,  and  endeavored  to  dissuade  them  from 
advancing  any  further  on  Swedish  territory,  or  prose 
cuting  any  further  hostilities  against  Fort  Christina, 
using  "  extremely  courteous  language,  now  and  then 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  217 

intermixed  with  threats."  But  Stuyvessant  was 
neither  to  be  frightened  nor  persuaded  from  his  pur 
poses,  arid  accordingly  Elswyck  went  back  to  Rising, 
and  Stuyvessant  prepared  to  move  with  his  fleet  and 
army  to  besiege  Christina. 

When  Rising  was  informed  of  the  ill  success  of 
Elswyck's  mission,  he  collected  all  the  people  he  could 
for  the  defence  of  Christina,  and  labored  night  and 
day  in  strengthening  the  ramparts  and  filling  gabions.1 
The  next  day  (the  2d  of  September2)  the  Dutch 
showed  themselves  in  considerable  strength  on  the 
opposite  of  Christina  creek,  but  attempted  no  hostile 
operations.  On  the  morning  of  the  3d  they  hoisted 
their  flag  on  a  Swedish  shallop  which  lay  drawn  up 
on  the  beach,  and  established  themselves  in  a  neigh 
boring  house.  Rising  then  sent  Lieutenant  Swen 
Hook  with  a  drummer  to  demand  "  what  they  pur 
posed,"  and  for  what  purpose  they  posted  themselves 
there,  and  (as  if  there  could  be  any  doubt  on  the 
the  matter)  as  to  whether  the  Swedes  should  view 
them  as  friends  or  enemies.  When  he  had  nearly 
crossed  the  creek,  he  asked  the  Dutch  whether  he 
might  "  freely  go  to  them  ?"  They  answered,  "  Yes." 
And  whether,  after  "  discharging  his  commission,  he 
might  freely  return."  To  which  also  the  Dutch 
answered  "  Yes."  So  the  drummer  rowed  the  boat 
ashore,  without  beat  of  drum,  (as  a  drummer  could 
not  well  row  a  boat  and  beat  a  drum  at  the  same 

1  Baskets, filled  with  earth. 

2  We  are  now  following  Swedish  records,  and  have  to  give  Swedish 
dates. 


248  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

time).  The  lieutenant  was  met  by  an  officer,  and 
conducted  to  a  house  at  some  distance  off,  which  the 
Dutch  had  taken  possession  of.  He  was  then  sent 
down  to  Stuy  vessant,  who,  believing  him  to  be  a  spy, 
arrested  him,  and  threw  him  into  the  ship's  hold. 
Thus  asserted  Rising :  "  They  treated  our  messengers 
contrary  to  the  laws  and  customs  of  all  civilized 
nations." 

On  the  4th  of  September,  the  Dutch  planted 
gabions  about  the  houses  on  the  opposite  shore  of 
Christina  Creek,  in  the  neighborhood  of  where  the 
Townsend  Iron  Works  are  now,  and  afterwards  threw 
up  a  battery  under  cover  of  them,  and  intrenched  them 
selves  there.  Rising  supposed  this  indicated,  as  the 
purpose  of  the  Dutch,  to  "  claim  and  hold  all  the 
territory  from  Bombay  Hook  to  the  south  bank  of  the 
Christina,"  which  the  Dutch  had  some  time  purchased 
of  the  Indians,  and  that  they  intended  to  construct  a 
fort  there  to  hold  those  possessions.  Rising  did  not 
believe  that  the  Dutch  would  commence  hostilities 
against  him  until  they  had  made  some  claim  or  pro 
mulgated  some  protest,  as  he  had  "received  from 
them. neither  message  nor  letter  assigning  any  manner 
or  cause  of  complaint."  Rising  appears  to  have 
forgot  that  he  himself  had  set  the  example  of  com 
mencing  hostilities,  without  warning,  by  his  attack 
and  capture  of  Fort  Cassimer. 

On  the  5th  they  sent  their  transport  ships  up  the 
Brandywine,  then  called  the  Fish  Kill,  or  Fish  Creek, 
to  Tredie  Hook,  which  means  the  third  point  or 
promontory.  This  was  an  elevated  piece  of  fast 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  249 

land  on  the  north  side  of  the  Brandywine,  below 
the  present  railroad  bridge,  and  below  a  brick  house, 
which  is  still  standing,  and  which  used  to  be  known 
as  Vandever's  brick  house.  Here  they  landed  their 
men,  and  marching  up  the  point  a  short  distance, 
crossed  the  low  valley  which  at  that  time  was  over 
flowed  at  flood  tide,  and  made  what  was  until  a  few 
years  ago  the  farm  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  railroad 
bridge,  an  island.  It  was  called  "  Timber  Island," 
and  was  formerly  in  the  tenure  of  the  Vandever 
family.1  It  was  a  few  years  ago  purchased  by  the 
Christiana  Improvement  Company,  who  have  divided 
it  mostly  up  into  lots,  and  laid  out  streets  through  it. 
Claymont  and  Heald,  and  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth 
and  Thirteenth  streets,  when  they  cross  the  Brandy- 
wine,  now  cover  its  site.  The  army  having  now  got 
possession  of  this  island,  passed  over  the  west  side  of 
it,  and  threw  up  a  battery,  on  which  they  planted  four 
cannon,  all  pointing  towards  Fort  Christina,  and 
within  effective  gunshot  of  it.  Leaving  there  two 
companies  of  troops  to  man  the  battery,  they  marched 
up  the  creek,  and  then  crossed  over  the  "  Stoor 
Fallet"  (Great  Falls)  meaning  the  Brandywine,  more 
than  probable  at  the  place  "There  the  old  ford  used  to 
be,  at  the  foot  of  the  old  King's  Road,  below  the  first 
dam  across  the  Brandywine,  and  which  road  is  yet 
used,  from  Delaware  Avenue  to  that  stream,  forming 
the  western  boundary  of  the  cemetery. 

1  A  number  of  the  descendants  of  this  family  now  reside  amongst 
us.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Delaware.  They  are  descended  from 
one  of  the  old  Dutch  settlers, 


250  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Having  crossed  the  Brandywine,  they  marched 
eastwardly  again,  until  they  came  to  a  place  between 
the  burying  ground  of  the  Old  Swedes  Church,  and 
the  Diamond  State  Iron  Works,  about  what  is  now 
the  neighborhood  of  Church  and  Fourth  streets.  At 
that  time  this  was  a  high  bank,  and  here  they  erected 
a  battery,  which  they  mounted  with  three  cannon. 
They  also  erected  another,  within  the  present  grave 
yard  of  the  Old  Swedes  Church,  near  its  south  wall. 
These  batteries  were  manned  with  four  companies. 
They  also  planted  a  battery  of  five  cannon  within  the 
village  of  Christinaham,  whose  site  was  more  than 
probable  on  what  is  now  covered  by  the  lower  por 
tions  of  Sixth.  Seventh,  and  Eighth  streets,  and  But- 
tonwood  street  and  the  railroad,  where  they  come  in 
juxtaposition.  This  battery  was  placed  immediately 
behind  the  fort,  in  which  they  placed  the  largest 
body  of  their  force,  consisting  of  six  companies.  This 
was  formerly  high  ground,  but  it  is  now7  leveled  and 
almost  entirely  covered  with  buildings.  They  also 
had  a  battery  erected  on  the  fast  land,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Christina,  of  four  guns,  manned  by  three 
companies.  This  was  about  where  the  Townsend 
Iron  Works  now  stand,  at  what  used  to  be  the  old 
ferry,  on  the  southern  shore  of  the  Christiana,  where 
travellers  crossed  the  Christiana  before  the  erection  of 
the  present  bridge  at  the  foot  of  Market  street. 

Thus  the  fort  was  now  invested  on  every  side, 
except  towards  the  southeast,  in  which  direction  there 
was  nothing  but  low  morass,  which  at  high  tide  lay 
four  or  five  feet  under  water.  Through  this  low 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  251 

morass  the  channels  of  the  Christina  and  Brandy  wine 
then  pursued  a  serpentine  course,  but  in  different 
directions,  but  at  length  were  united  in  one  stream 
about  half  a  mile  southeast  of  Fort  Christina.  That 
the  investment  might  be  complete,  the  Dutch  now 
brought  up  their  armed  ships,,  and  anchored  them  in 
the  mouth  of  the  Brandywine. 

The  Dutch  had  about  finished  their  preparations, 
without  any  molestation  from  the  Swedes,  when  the 
latter  burnt  a  little  powder  in  a  couple  of  their  guns 
to  scale  them.  The  Dutch  fired  several  shots  over 
their  heads  from  Timber  Island,  where  they  had  taken 
post  in  a  house.  They  also  announced  to  the  Swedes 
they  had  taken  up  a  position  on  the  west  side  by 
several  volleys.  Rising  continued  to  make  the  best 
defence  which  his  strength  would  allow,  if  he  should 
be  attacked,  for  he  was  not  yet  satisfied  as  to  the  in 
tention  of  the  Dutch,  when  a  circumstance  occurred 
that  left  him  no  longer  in  any  doubt,  for  an  Indian 
arrived  with  a  letter  from  Stuyvessant,  in  which  he 
claimed  the  "  whole  river,"  and  required  Rising  and 
all  the  Swedes  either  to  evacuate  the  country,  or  to 
remain  there  under  Dutch  protection,  "  threatening 
with  the  consequences  in  case  of  refusal."  Rising 
answered  by  letter  "  that  he  would  reply  to  this  ex 
traordinary  demand  by  special  messengers,"  and  sent 
him  back  his  answer  by  the  same  Indian.  He  then 
held  a  general  council  of  war  as  to  what  should  be 
done  if  the  Dutch  assaulted  him  by  storm  or  battery, 
at  which  it  was  determined  that  the  Swedes  should 
in  any  case  remain  on  the  defensive,  and  make  the 


252  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

best  resistance  they  could,  but  not  to  commence  or 
provoke  hostilities,  on  account  of  their  weakness  and 
and  want  of  supplies.  That  they  should  wait  until 
they  were  fired  upon,  or  the  Dutch  began  to  storm 
their  works,  and  then  defend  themselves  as  long  as 
they  could,  and  leave  the  consequences  to  be  re 
dressed  by  their  superiors. 

The  Dutch  now  began  to  make  still  further  encroah- 
ments  upon  the  Swedes.     Rising,  in  his  official  report 
says :    "  They  killed   our    cattle,    goats,    swine,   and 
poultry,  broke  open  houses,  pillaged  the  people  with 
out  the  sconce  of  their  property,  and  higher  up  the 
river  they  plundered  many,  and  stripped  them  to  the 
skin.     At  New  Gottenberg  they  robbed  Mr.  Poppe- 
goya's  wife  of  all  she  had,  with  many  others  who  had 
collected  their  property  together  there."     The  Dutch 
in  the  meantime  continued  to  advance  their  approaches 
to  Christina,  which  was  a  small,  feeble  work,  and  lay 
upon  low  ground,  and  could  be  commanded  from  the 
surrounding  heights,  all  of  which  hostile  acts,  injuries 
and  insults  we  were,  to  our  great  mortification,  com 
pelled  to  witness  and   suffer,   says    Rising,    "  being 
unable    to   resist  them   by   reason  of  our   want   of 
men    and  of  powder,  whereof  our   supply  scarcely 
sufficed  for  a  single  round   for   our  guns."     Rising, 
however,  seeing  he  was  unable  to  make  any  defence, 
still  determined  to  try  negotiation.     He  sent  messen 
gers  to  Stuyvessant,  (who  was  staying  at  Fort  Cassi- 
mer,)    with  a  written  commission,  to  dissuade  him 
from  further  hostilities,  again  protesting  against  the 
invasion   of    Swedish    territory,    without    assigning 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

causes,  or  denying  as  far  as  they  could  the  Swedish 
right  to  the  river.  Rising  also  suggested  to  Stuy- 
vessant  the  jealousy  that  would  undoubtedly  ensue 
between  their  respective  sovereigns,  and  other  momen 
tous  consequences  that  might  arise  from  his  acts,  as 
the  Swedes  were  determined  to  defend  their  right  to 
the  utmost  of  their  strength.  That  Stuyvessant 
would  have  to  answer  for  all  the  consequences  that 
might  ensue.  The  message  finally  required  him  to 
"  cease  hostilities  and  retire  with  his  people  from  Fort 
Christina:'  But  all  this  availed  nothing.  Stuyves 
sant  had  received  his  orders  from  Holland  to  take  the 
Swedish  fortresses,  and  he  was  determined  to  obey 
them.  So  he  simply  answered  Rising's  letter  by  re 
affirming  the  Dutch  right  to  the  Delaware ;  spoke  of 
the  Swedish  claim  as  a  usurpation,  and  never  for  an 
instant  relaxed  in  his  preparations  to  take  the  fort 
ress. 

The  garrison  of  Rising  consisted  only  of  about 
thirty  men.  With  this  small  force  he  was  unable  to 
make  any  sorties  to  prevent  the  Dutch  from  taking 
any  position  they  desired.  They  had  command  of 
the  fort  so  completely,  that  not  a  man  could  stand  on 
the  ramparts  with  security.  Besides,  some  of  the 
Swedes  were  sick,  some  ill-disposed,  some  had  de 
serted,  provisions  were  scanty,  and  all  the  men  nearly 
worn  out  with  watching.  From  these  considerations, 
and  from  fear  of  a  mutiny,  when  Stuyvessant,  who 
had  heretofore  been  at  Fort  Cassimer,  but  had  now 
came  up  to  Fort  Christina,  peremptorily  summoned' 
him,  on  the  12th  of  September,  to  capitulate,  with 


254  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

the  threat  of  giving  no  quarter,  the  Swedes  proposed 
to  Rising  to  go  out  and  have  another  conference  with 
Stuy vessant,  and  endeavor  to  "  bring  him  to  reason." 
On  the  13th  of  September,  accordingly,  Rising,  ac 
companied  by  the  factor  Elswyck,  went  out  to  the 
most  advanced  work  of  the  Dutch.  He  was  met  by 
Stuyvessant  and  De  Stille.  The  place  of  meeting 
was  then  an  elevated  spot  behind  the  fort,  but  was 
cut  down  and  levelled  with  the  grade  of  the  street, 
to  fill  up  wharves  constructed  on  the  western  side  of 
where  the  fort  once  stood.  Here,  in  presence  and  in 
full  sight  of  both  the  hostile  combatants,  the  repre 
sentatives  of  the  Swedes  and  Dutch  commenced  their 
parley. 

Rising  again  protested  to  Stuyvessant  against  his 
proceedings,  and  again  went  over  the  argument  in 
favor  of  the  Swedish  claim.  But  all  this,  as  might 
be  expected,  produced  no  impression  on  Stuyvessant, 
who  would  listen  to  nothing  but  the  surrender  of  the 
fort  and  the  whole  river.  To  this  Rising  replied  that 
he  would  defend  the  fort  to  the  last.  The  conference 
was  then  broken  off,  and  Rising  and  Elswyck  retired 
within  the  ramparts,  and  encouraged  his  men  to  make 
as  manly  a  defence  as  they  were  able. 

On  the  14th,  the  Dutch  having  completed  their 
works,  "formally  summoned  Fort  Christina  with  harsh 
messages,  by  drummer  and  messenger,  to  capitulate 
within  twenty-four  hours."  Rising  then  assembled  a 
general  council  of  the  whole  garrison,  who,  as  there 
was  a  want  of  powder  and  munitions,  and  no  hopes 
of  relief,  decided  unanimously  to  surrender,  which 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  255 

was  therefore  done  on  the  15th  of  September,  (old 
style,  but  new  style,  or  present  mode  of  reckoning, 
the  25th  of  September,)  on  the  following  conditions, 
viz:1 — 

1.  All  guns,  ammunition,  implements,  victuals,  and 
other  effects  belonging  to  the  crown  of  Sweden  and 
South  Company  which  are  in  the  fort  and  its  vicinity, 
shall  remain  in  full,  property  to  the   crown  and  com 
pany,    whilst    it  shall    depend  upon  the   Governor 
either  to  take  all  these  with  him,  or  deliver  them  to 
the  Director  General,  Peter  Stuyvessant,  on  condition 
that  all,  when  demanded,  shall  be   returned  without 
any  delay  whatever. 

2.  Governor  Rising,  with  all  field  officers,  and  sub 
altern  officers,  ministers  and  soldiers,  shall  march  out 
of  the  fort  with  beating  of  drums,  fifes,  and  colors 
flying,  firing  matches,  balls  in  their  mouths,  with  their 
arms,    first   to    Timmer    Isle,    (Building    or    Timber 
Island),  wrhere  they  all,  at  their  arrival  from  the  fort 
shall  be  lodged  in  the  houses,  with  security,  till  the 
departure  of  the  Director  General  wTith  the  man-of- 
war,  the  Weigh-Scales,  wrhich  shall  convey,  at  longest, 
within  fourteen  days,  the  Governor,  with  his  people 
and  goods,  so  far  as  the  Sand  Point,  about  five  miles 
from  Manhattan,  in  full  security.     Meanwhile  it  is 
permitted  to  Governor  Rising  and  his  factor  Elswyck, 
with  four  or  five  servants,  to  remain  so  long  in  their 
houses  in  the  fort  till  they  may  arrange  their  private 
affairs. 

1  The  account  of  the  surrender  of  Fort  Christina  is  derived  from 
Rising's  official  statements.  See  X.  Y.  Hist.  Soc.  Coll.  vol.  1,  pp. 
443,  448. 


256  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

3.  All  papers,  letters,  documents,  and  acts  belong 
ing  to   the   crown   of  Sweden,  the   South   Company 
or  private  individuals,  discovered  and  obtained  in  Fort 
Christina,  shall  be  delivered  unopened  and  unsearched 
to  the  late  governor,  to  be  distributed  at  his  discretion. 

4.  No  person  belonging  to  the  crown  of  Sweden,  or 
the  South  Company,  officers,  soldiers,  ministers  or  free 
men  shall  not  be  compelled  to  stay,  but  permitted  to 
accompany  the  government  wherever  they  may  deem 
proper. 

5.  All  the  high  and  low  ministers  of  Sweden  or  of 
South  Company,  ministers,  officers,  soldiers  and  free 
men  shall  be  maintained  in  the  undisturbed  posses 
sion  of  their  individual  property. 

6.  If  any  servant  or  freeman  desires  to  leave  this 
country,  and  now  could  not  be  ready  to  depart  with 
the  Governor  and  his  people,  all  such  shall  be  per 
mitted  to  dispose  of  their  real  and  personal  property 
during  the  period  of  one  year  and  six  weeks,  pro 
vided  they  take  the  oath  of  loyalty  for  the  time  they 
intend  to  remain  on  this  river. 

7.  If  there  are  any  Swedes  or  Fins  who  do  not 
wish  to  depart,  then  it  shall  remain  free  to  Governor 
Rising  to  admonish  them,  and  if  they  upon  such  ad 
monition  are  inclined  to  follow  him,  then  all  such  shall 
not  be  prevented  by  the  Director  General  from  doing 
so,  while  they  who  voluntarily  are  resolved  to  remain, 
and  desire  to  search  for  their  sustenance  in  this  coun 
try,  shall  enjoy  the  liberty  of  the  Augsburg  Confes 
sion,  with  a  minister  to  instruct  them  in  this  doc 
trine. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  257 

8.  The  Governor,  John1  Rising,  the  Factor  Elswyck, 
with  all  the  other  high  and  low  officers  and  soldiers 
and  freemen,  who  now  wish  to  depart  with  their  per 
sonal  property,  shall  obtain  from  the  Director  Gene 
ral  a  convenient  vessel,  which  at  Sand  Point  shall  take 
them  in,  and  transport  them  farther  to  the  Texel,  and 
from  there  further  with  a  Boeyer,  galliot,  and  other 
good  ships,  to  Gottenberg,  free  from  expense,  provided 
that  such  ship  or  galliot  shall  not  be  molested  or  de 
tained  at  Gottenberg,  for  which  the  aforesaid  Governor 
remains  responsible. 

9.  If  Governor  Rising,   Factor   Elswyck,   or  any 
minister  of  the   aforesaid   crown   or   South  Company 
have  contracted  any  debts,  they  shall  not  be  subject  to 
arrest  within  the  government  of  the  aforesaid  general. 

10.  Governor  Rising  is  permitted  to  inquire  unmo 
lested,  how  the  late  Commander  Schute,  officers  and 
other  soldiers  have  conducted  themselves  in  the  sur 
render  of  the  fortress  at  Sand  Point. 

11.  Provided  the  Governor  engages  to  march  out 
of  the  Fortress  Christina  on  this  day,  being  the  25th 
of  the  month  of  September,  with  all  his  men,  and  to 
surrender    it   to    the   Director    General.     Done    and 
signed  on  25th  of  September  aforesaid,  on  the  paved 
place  between  Fort  Christina  and  encampment  of  the 
Director  General. 

PETER  STUYVESSANT. 
JOHN  RISING, 

Director  of  the  Country  of  Xew  Sweden. 

1  In  some  documents  he  is  called  Jno.  Clandii  Rising.     In  others, 
John  Fusing.     His  name  is  also  spelt  Risingh. 
17 


258  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

There  was  another  article  of  this  treaty,  by  which 
it  was  agreed  that  the  skipper,  with  whom  Governor 
Fusing  and  the  Factor  Elswyck  shall  depart,  shall  be 
expressly  commanded  to  land  them  either  in  England 
or  France,  and  that  Stuyvessant  should  advance  to 
Rising  £300  Flanders,  which  sum  Rising  agreed  to 
pay  in  six  months,  at  Amsterdam.  In  the  meantime, 
the  property  surrendered  to  Stuyvessant  was  to  be 
forfeited  if  the  money  was  not  paid  at  the  stipulated 
time.  The  money  was  never  paid,  and  therefore 
Stuyvessant  kept  the  goods.  Thus,  after  about 
seventeen  years'  rule,  fell  the  Swedish  power  on  the 
Delaware.1 

After  the  surrender,  the  Dutch  were  accused  of 
committing  many  outrages  on  the  inhabitants.  Some 
writers  affect  to  disbelieve  them,  but  the  evidence  is 
such  as  leaves  but  little  doubt  of  their  truth.  Rising, 
in  his  remonstrance  to  Stuyvessant,  accuses  the  Dutch 
of  u  plundering  Tennakong,  Uplandt,  Findlandt, 
Printzdorp,  and  several  other  places."  At  Fort 
Christina,  he  says,  "women  were  violently  torn  from 
their  houses,  whole  buildings  destroyed,  and  they 
dragged  from  them  :  yea,  the  oxen,  cows  and  swine, 
and  other  creatures  were  butchered  day  by  day;  even 
the  horses2  were  not  spared,  but  wantonly  shot,  the 
plantations  destroyed,  and  the  whole  country  left  so 
desolate  that  scarce  any  means  are  remaining  for  the 

1  The  articles  of  surrender  are  from  Dutch  authorities.    See  Albany 
Records,   vol.    13,    pp.  353,  359.     They  of   course   have   new   style 
dates. 

2  This  is  the  first  mention  of  horses  on  the  Delaware. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  259 

subsistence  of  the  inhabitants."  Acrelius  says  "the 
Swedes  suffered  great  hardships  from  the  Dutch. 
The  flower  of  their  troops  were  picked  out  and  sent 
to  New  Amsterdam  ;  though  under  the  pretext  of 
their  own  choice,  the  men  were  forcibly  carried  aboard 
the  ships.  The  women  were  ill  treated  in  their  houses, 
their  goods  pillaged,  and  the  cattle  killed.  Those  who 
refused  allegiance  were  watched  as  suspicious." 

After  the  surrender,  a  tender  was  made  of  Fort 
Christina  to  Rising,  but  it  was  refused,  the  Dutch 
say,  "  under  pretence  that  the  affair  was  not  complete, 
and  he  would  rather  hold  himself  to  the  capitulation 
made." 

On  the  evening  of  the  28th  of  September,  a  mob 
of  Dutch  assaulted  Rising  and  some  of  his  men  in 
the  fort,  and  plundered  them  of  all  the  goods  they 
could  find,  much  of  which  was  Rising's  private  pro 
perty.  Rising  and  Elswyck  were  finally  conveyed  to 
Manhattan  in  the  man-of-war  Balance,  when  a  sharp 
correspondence  took  place  between  Rising  and  Stuy- 
vessant,  Rising  accusing  the  latter  of  breaking  the 
terms  of  the  capitulation  in  several  particulars. 

There  is  but  little  doubt  that  the  Swedes  after 
their  surrender  were  disgracefully  plundered,  although 
it  was  probably  against  the  wish  or  desire  of  Stuy- 
vessant. 

Rising  and  the  rest  of  the  Swedes  finally  took  their 
departure  for  Europe  in  the  ships  Spotted  Cow  and 
Bear,  but  were  compelled  to  put  into  England,  where 
he  o;ave  the  first  information  of  the  overthrow  of  the 

O 

Swedish  power  on  the  Delaware,  to  the  Swedish  Min- 


260  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

ister.  Thus  terminated  the  short  career  of  this  rash 
and  injudicious  man,  who  in  defiance  of  his  instruc 
tions  commenced  a  war  which  ended  in  the  over 
throw  of  himself  and  nation  on  this  continent.  The 
last  heard  of  Rising  was  a  report  made  to  the  Dutch 
authorities  that  "  Hendrick  Huygen  had  said  that  in 
September,  1660,  Rising  had  been  arrested  in  Swe 
den,  but  that  after  long  entreaties  it  was  at  length 
consented  to  grant  him  an  armed  vessel  for  the  recov 
ery  of  South  river." 

"Two  out  of  the  three  Swedish  clergymen,  it  is  said, 
were  expelled  the  country ;  and  the  one  left  was  of 
godless  and  scandalous  life."1 

The  Swedish  rule  thus  being  ended  by  their  being 
conquered  by  the  Dutch,  New  Sweden  ceased  to  be 
the  name  of  our  State.  From  the  fall  of  the  Swedes 
until  its  capture  by  the  English,  it  was  part  of  the 
Dutch  territories  of  New  Netherlands,  and  conse 
quently  went  by  that  cognomen.  The  boundaries  of 
New  Netherlands  were  never  accurately  defined. 
The  Dutch,  however,  at  this  time  exercised  jurisdic 
tion  over  the  settled  parts  of  the  State  of  Delaware, 
(which  extended  from  Lewes  to  our  northern  circular 
boundary  at  the  Pennsylvania  line),  and  up  the  Dela 
ware  as  high  as  Trenton,  on  both  sides  of  that  river, 
over  the  whole  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  both 
sides  of  the  North,  or  Hudson  river.  They  claimed 
the  right  of  jurisdiction  over  the  Connecticut,  which 
they  called  the  "  Fresh  river,"  but  the  English  citi 
zens  of  New  Haven  held  it  in  conjunction  with  them, 

1  O'Call.  vol.  2,  p.  290,  318. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  261 

and  finally  expelled  them.  They  also  struggled  with 
them  for  the  possession  of  Long  Island.  New  Neth 
erlands,  of  which  our  State  was  then  a  part,  may  be 
said  to  consist  of  the  State  of  Delaware,  Pennsylva 
nia,  New  Jersey,  and  New  York,  and  part  of  Con 
necticut.  They  named  the  great  rivers  of  this  terri 
tory  as  follows  : — The  Connecticut,  the  Fresh  river, 
(from  being  composed  of  fresh  water)  ;  the  Hudson 
river,  the  North  river ;  and  the  Delaware,  the  South 
river. 

The  following  were  the  names  given  by  the  Swedes 
to  the  various  streams  and  places  in  our  State.  They 
are  derived  principally  from  the  map  made  by  the 
Engineer  Lindstrom,1  who  has  set  them  down  both  in 
Swedish  and  French.  This  map  takes  in  the  Dela 
ware  from  Trenton  to  the  Capes.  The  first  name  of 
a  place  is  the  Swedish,  the  second  the  French. 
Naaman's  creek  is  named  "  Naanian,"  (the  same  as 
now),  and  "  La  Revier  de  Naaman."  The  creek  to 
the  South  of  Naaman's,  and  which  we  believe  is  the 
creek  which  flows  into  the  Delaware  near  Hollyoak 
Station,  on  the  railroad,  was  named  "Naaman's  Fal- 
let,"  (or  Falls),  or  the  "Cataract  de  Naanian."  The 
land  between  Naaman's  and  this  creek,  on  the  Dela 
ware  shore,  was  named  "  Windrufwe  Udden,"  "  Le  C<rtp 
des  Raisins."  Udden  appears  to  have  been  the  Swedish 
name  for  "Cape."  The  French  translated  into  Eng 
lish  means  Cape  of  Grapes.  It  is  more  than  probable 
that  grapes  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  State  grew 

1  We   are  ^indebted  to  Thompson  Westcott,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia 
for  the  perusal  of  this  map. 


262  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

there  in  great  plenty,  and  probably  "  Windrufwe"  is 
Swedish  for  grape.  Shelpot  creek  was  named  "  Skil- 
paddle  Fallet,"  or  "  La  Cataracte  des  Tortues,"  or  in 
other  words,  Turtle  Falls.  This  was  first  corrupted 
into  "  Skillpot,"  which  was  the  name  it  bore  in  the 
time  of  Penn,  and  afterwards  into  Shelpot,  its  pre 
sent  name.  The  Brandy  wine  was  called  the  "  Fiske 
Fallet,"  or  "  La  Cataracte  des  Poisons,"  in  other 
words  Fish  Falls,  or  Fish  creek,  or  river.  Cataract 
or  Fallet  being  applied  to  its  rougher  parts.  The 
Shelpot  and  the  Brandywine  then,  according  to  the 
map  of  Lindstrom,  had  mouths,  which  carried  their 
streams  into  the  Delaware,  as  well  as  into  the  Chris 
tiana.  The  Brandywine,  it  is  alleged,  received  its 
present  name  "  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  a  vessel 
in  its  waters  laden  with  brandy,"  in  the  Dutch  lan 
guage  called  Brand-wijn.  This  account  is  confirmed 
by  the  report  of  a  number  of  old  persons,  who  declared 
that  the  remains  of  the  vessel  were  frequently  pointed 
out  to  them  in  early  life  by  their  ancestors,  with  the 
assurance  that  those  remains  were  parts  of  the  ship 
whose  loss  gave  rise  to  the  name  of  the  river.1 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Shelpot  and  Brandywine  was 
formerly  an  island  named  "  Rylflacht,"  or  "  Plaines 
des  Rosseau."  This  was  a  beautiful  little  island,  con 
taining  a  few  acres  of  land,  studded  with  lofty  forest 

1  See  Ferris,  p.  196.  He  also  says  :  Frederick  Craig,  a  very  worthy 
citizen,  and  remarkable  for  a  clear,  retentive  memory,  who  lived  to 
eighty-five  years  of  age,  and  died  in  1841,  has  been  frequently 
heard  to  say  that  the  wreck  of  the  ship  which  gave  a  name  to  the 
Brandywine,  had  often  been  pointed  out  to  him  in  early  life  by  the 
old  people  of  that  day. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  263 

trees,  and  called  by  the  Indians  "  Manathan."  This 
spot  was  inhabited  in  the  time  of  the  Swedes  by  two 
Dutch  families,  with  their  workmen,  who  followed  the 
business  of  ship  carpenters,  boat  builders,  and  coopers. 
Here  they  built  yachts,  a  kind  of  fast  sailing  trading 
vessel,  with  which  they  could  run  up  the  creeks  and 
inlets  along  the  shores  of  the  river,  to  trade  with  the 
natives.  They  also  built  boats  and  galleys,  and  made 
casks  and  tubs.  From  this  it  was  named  "  Coopers' 
Island."  This  was  the  first  workshop  or  mechanical 
establishment  we  have  any  record  of  as  being  carried 
on  in  this  State.  They  occupied  the  island,  accord 
ing  to  Campanius,  when  Governor  Printz  first  came 
over.  After  the  country  became  more  thickly  set 
tled,  they  abandoned  their  solitary  home  to  reside 
amongst  the  planters.  Being  left  again  to  the  care  of 
nature,  unassisted  by  man,  the  cleared  parts  of  the 
island  were  soon  covered  with  the  wild  plum,  or 
mountain  cherry,  which  grew  up  spontaneously,  and 
was  the  cause  of  its  taking  the  name  of  "Cherry 
Island."  By  the  embankment  of  the  meadows,  the 
island  lost  its  insular  character,  but  the  name  was 
retained,  to  give  a  distinctive  appellation  to  the  land 
around  it,  which  is  still  called  Cherry  Island  Marsh.1 
At  the  mouth  of  the  Christiana  there  was  also  a 
marshy  island,  on  one  side  of  which  the  Brandywine 
flowed  into  the  Christiana,  and  on  the  other  into  the 
Delaware.  This  was  also  embanked,  and  has  lost 
its  name  in  that  of  Cherry  Island  Marsh.  Amongst 
other  names,  it  was  then  called  "  Rylflaett's  Plaines," 

1  See  Ferris'  Original  Settlements. 


264  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

or  "  Campagne  des  Rosceaux  sont  Marques  pas  des 
Points."  The  ground  on  which  the  main  part  of  the 
city  of  Wilmington  stands,  was  named  "  Hiort  ad 
Cap  de  Corp."  Clements  creek,  a  small  stream  which 
flows  into  the  Christiana  west  of  the  Harlan  &  Hol- 
lingsworth  Works,  near  Justison  street,  was  called 
"Liblefals  Kylen,"  or  "La  Reveire  de  la  Petit  Cat- 
racte."  There  was  a  large  island  in  the  Christiana, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  where  the  town  of  Newport 
is  now,  which  was  called  "Nootebohms,"  or  "  He  de 
Codraie."  The  land  between  the  Clements  creek  and 
the  White  Clay  creek,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Chris 
tiana,  was  called  "Huis  Kakamense,"  while  Bread  and 
Cheese  Island,  near  Stanton,  had  the  name  of  "  Kees 
und  Tvrodts  a  eller  Rodoleaus  oen  ke  da  Fromage  et 
du  Paine,"  or  in  the  main,  the  same  names  it  has  now 
in  the  English  instead  of  in  the  French  and  Swedish 
language.  The  Christiana,  before  its  junction  with 
the  White  Clay  creek,  was  called  "  Sickpeckons  Sip- 
punck,"  or  "Tasswagers  Kyi,"  whilst  the  land  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Christiana  from  the  city  of  Wil 
mington  to  where  the  White  Clay  creek  flows  into  it 
was  named  "Tura  Udden,"  or  uDe  Cap  des  Pins." 
On  the  same  side  of  the  Christiana,  but  east  of  Fort 
Christina,  it  was  named  "  Kojaca  Salung."  It  was 
also  called  "  Tenacongs."  On  the  river  shore  of  New 
Castle  hundred,  between  what  is  now  the  town  of 
New  Castle  and  the  mouth  of  the  Christiana,  were  six 
considerable  streams,  probably  made  so  by  the  influx 
of  the  tide.  These  streams  cut  the  ground  up  into 
necks  or  capes,  the  principal  of  which  were  named 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  265 

"Grane  Udden,"  or  "Le  Cap  des  Cruces  ;"  "  Strand- 
wick,"  or  "  Bale  de  Rivage,"  and  "Nieu  Clareland." 
From  New  Castle  to  St.  Georges,  the  land  was  known 
by  the  name  of  "  Ackan  Marnangaha  Tusockhoc- 
kung."  The  Appoquinimink  was  called  the  "Appo- 
quonema ;"  the  north  point  of  Bombay  Hook,  "  Eager 
Udden,"  or  "  Le  Cap  des  Herons,"  (Cape  of  Herons) ; 
whilst  Bombay  Hook  was  called  "  Bomtes  Udden.'' 
Duck  creek  was  called  "  Aucke  Kyhlen,"  or  the  "  Re- 
viere  des  Canards,"  or  in  other  words,  its  present 
name  anglicized  into  that  of  Duck  river  or  creek. 
Jones  creek  was  then  called  "Warge  Kyghlen,"  or 
"La  Riviere  des  Loups,"  translated  to  English,  Wolfe 
river.  Murderkill  was  named  "  Mordare  Kylen,"  or 
"  La  Riviere  des  Assassins  ;"  the  name  in  English  it  at 
present  bears.  South  of  the  Murderkill  was  called  "  Pa 
rades  Udden,"  or  "  Le  Cap  de  Parades,"  in  English, 
Paradise  Cape,  promontory  or  point.  From  the  above 
it  will  be  seen  that  many  places  in  our  State  still 
bear  the  old  Swedish  names,  although  many  have 
been  translated  into  English,  and  the  idiom  of  some 
has  been  altered. 

The  Swedes  that  remained  within  the  present 
boundaries  of  this  State,  generally  settled  near  Fort 
Christina.  Before  the  arrival  of  Penn,  none  of  them 
resident  within  the  limits  of  Delaware,  lived  more 
than  a  Swedish  mile  from  the  fort.  A  body  of  them 
clustered  around  Printz's  house  (afterwards  occupied 
by  his  daughter,  Armgardt  Pappegoya,)  and  Fort 
Gottenburg,  at  Tiriicum  Island,  where  they  built  a 
small  village  called  Printzdorp.  The  Fins,  a  distinct 


266  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

people  from  the  Swedes,  had  their  settlement  in  Penn 
sylvania,  a  few  miles  north  of  our  boundary  line,  be 
tween  Marcus  Hook  and  Chester.  The  Swedes  and 
Fins  on  the  Delaware  generally  devoted  themselves 
to  husbandry,  the  Dutch  to  commerce.  A  great  many 
of  our  most  respectable  families  owe  their  descent  to 
the  Swedes,  but  their  names  have  generally  been  an 
glicised.  Amongst  them  the  Rambos ;  the  Justisons 
and  Justises,  whose  original  name  was  Gostafsson, 
the  Boons  whose  name  was  formerly  Bond,  the  Iloff- 
mans  whose  names  were  formerly  Hoppman,  the  Coles- 
berry  s  changed  from  Kalsberg,  the  Wheelers  from 
Wihler,  the  Yocums  from  Joccom,  the  Dalbows  from 
Dahlbo,  the  Sinexes  from  Seneca,  the  Johnsons  from 
Johansson,  the  Poulsons  from  Paulson,  the  Culins 
from  Von  Culen,  the  Vannemans  from  Van  Neman, 
the  Kings  from  Konigh,  and  the  Keens  from  Kyn. 
The  Walravens  spelt  their  names  with  two  Ts.  The 
Hendricksons  are  changed  from  Hindrickson,  the 
Stidhams  from  Stedham.  The  Petersons,  the  Stal- 
cops,  the  Matsons,  the  Talleys,  the  Andersons,  and 
Walravens  have  their  names  spelt  nearly  as  formerly, 
save  in  some  cases  the  consonants  are  doubled,  but 
the  sound  of  the  name  is  not  changed  by  the  spelling. 
The  Vandevers,  were  spelt  as  Van  der  Weer,  but 
their  ancestors  were  Dutch,  not  Swedish,  although 
they  intermarried  with  the  Swedes. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

FROM  1656  TO  1657. 

Appointment  of  Perk  Smidt  as  Governor — Departure  of  Stuyves- 
sant — Indians  assault  Fort  Cassimer — Jews  on  the  Delaware — 
Jno.  Paul  Jaquette  appointed  Governor — The  Council — Rules  to 
govern  the  inhabitants — Swedes  not  to  be  allowed  in  the  Fort — 
Vessels  not  to  go  above  Fort  Cassimer — Suspicion  of  the  Swedes — 
Duties  laid — Laying  out  of  the  town  of  New  Amstel  (New  Castle) — 
Interview  with  Indians — Demand  higher  prices  for  their  wares — 
Answer  of  Jaquette — Present  given  to  them — Attempt  to  remove 
the  Swedes  into  the  villages — They  remonstrate — First  brick  made 
in  Delaware — Company  object  to  written  capitulation  of  Fort  Cas 
simer — Swedish  Ambassador  demands  restitution  of  New  Swe 
den — Receives  no  satisfaction — Arrival  of  the  Mereurius  with  130 
Swedes — Jaquette  forbids  her  landing — Pappegoya  petitions  Coun 
cil  of  New  Amsterdam  to  let  the  Swedes  settle  on  South  river — 
They  refuse; — Mereurius  runs  past  the  batteries — Lands  her  pas 
sengers  at  Marcus  Hook — Man-of-war  Balance  sent  to  South  river 
— Mereurius  sails  for  Manhattan — Is  allowed  to  sail  for  Europe — 
Pappegoya  leaves  the  country — His  wife  left  at  South  river — Set 
tlers  from  New  Amsterdam  arrive  at  South  river — Build  New  Ain- 
stel  (New  Castle) — Lots  granted — Territory  between  Christina  and 
Bombay  Hook  transferred  to  city  of  Amsterdam — First  bridge 
built  in  Delaware — Tobacco  raised — Regulations — Inspectors  ap 
pointed — Aldricks  appointed  Governor  of  Delaware — "NValdenese 
expected — Stuyvessant  ordered  to  purchase  between  North  and 
South  rivers — Fears  New  Amsterdam  settlers  will  remove  to  South 
river — Fineness  of  the  river. 

AFTER  the  conquering  of  the  Swedes,  the  extend 
ing  Dutch  power  over  the  Delaware,  and  the  annex 
ing  our  State  to  New  Netherlands,  Stuyvessant  de 
parted  for  the  Manhattans,  first  appointing  Captain 


268  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Derk  Smidt  as  Commandant  or  Governor  of  Delaware. 
He  was  the  first  Dutch  Governor  of  our  State,  and 
the  sixth  in  succession  from  Minuit,  the  first  Swedish 
Governor. 

After  the  departure  of  Stuyvessant,  late  in  the 
fall,  Fort  Cassimer  was  assaulted  by  more  than  five 
hundred  Indians.  The  Dutch  thought  they  were 
incited  to  this  attack  by  the  Swedes.1 

At  this  early  date  we  have  an  account  of  Jews  on 
the  Delaware,  as  in  November,  Abraham  Lucenna, 
Salvador  de  Andrade  and  Jacob  Cohen  of  that  reli 
gion  petitioned  at  Manhattan  for  the  privilege  of 
trading  on  South  river.  The  petition  was  granted. 

On  the  29th  of  November,  John  Paul  Jaquette 
(the  ancestor  of  the  celebrated  Major  Jaquette  who 
fought  so  gallantly  in  the  Delaware  line  in  the  Revo 
lution,)  was  appointed  the  seventh  Governor  of  De 
laware.2  He  was  to  be  assisted  by  a  Council  com 
posed  of  Vice  Director  Andreas  Hudde  and  Elmer- 
hysen  Klein.  His  instructions  were  as  follows  : 

"  If  the  affairs  to  be  taken  into  consideration  were 
purely  military,  or  to  relate  to  the  company  exclu 
sively,  they  were  to  be  assisted  by  two  sergeants ; 
but  if  purely  civil,  between  freemen  and  the  com 
pany's  servants,  then  two  freemen  were  to  be  chosen 
instead  of  the  two  sergeants. 

"All  meetings  of  the  Council  were  to  be  called  by 
him.  He  was  to  propose  to  them  all  matters  relative 
to  police,  justice,  and  commerce.  Things  were  to  be 

1  Lambrechten,  p.  109. 

8  Albany  Records,  vol.  10,  p.  174. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  269 

decided  by  a  majority  of  votes ;  the  Governor  was  to 
have  the  casting  vote. 

"  Hudde  was  to  be  the  Secretary  and  Surveyor ; 
he  was  to  keep  the  minutes  of  the  Council. 

"  They  were  strictly  to  observe  the  regulations  re 
specting  the  sale  of  brandy,  &c.,  to  Indians,  plunder 
ing  gardens  and  plantations,  running  through  the 
country,  in  town,  and  drinking  on  the  Sabbath,  its 
profanation,  &c. 

"No  officers  and  soldiers  were  to  be  absent  from 
the  fort  at  night ;  no  freemen,  especially  no  Swede, 
living  in  the  country  to  stay  in  the  fort  at  night ; 
Fort  Cassimer  not  to  be  visited  too  often  by  them  or 
the  savages,  much  less  the  fortifications  examined. 
In  this  respect,  pay  particular  attention  on  arrival  of 
any  foreign  vessel,  yatchs  or  ships. 

"No  vessel  to  go  above  or  below  Fort  Cassimer  for 
trade  with  savages  or  Christians,  but  such  as  remain 
at  the  fort  at  anchor,  and  well  near  the  shore.  All 
on  guard  to  be  kept  in  good  order,  the  fort  to  be  kept 
in  good  repair,  and  its  fortifications  in  a  proper  state 
of  defence ;  but  permission  may  be  granted  to  plant 
on  taking  the  oath  to  assist  the  fort,  or  be  trans 
ported  in  case  they  refuse  to  take  the  oath. 

fci  In  granting  lands,  above  all  things,  to  take  care 
that  a  community  of  at  least  sixteen  or  twenty  per 
sons  reside  together,  or  so  many  families,  and  to  pre 
vent  coveting  lands,  require  for  the  present,  instead 
of  one-tenth  to  be  paid  per  morgan,1  only  twelve  stivers 
per  annum. 

1  About  7  acres. 


270  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

"Grant  no  houses  or  lots  on  the  side  of  the  meadow 
of  Fort  Cassimer,  viz.  :  between  the  creek  and  the 
fort,  nor  behind  the  fort,  that  land  to  be  reserved  for 
fortifying  and  outworks  of  the  fort ;  for  favoring  the 
dwelling  together  on  the  south  side  of  the  fortress, 
lay  out  a  convenient  street  behind  the  houses  already 
erected,  and  lay  out  convenient  lots  on  the  same, 
about  forty  or  fifty  feet  broad,  by  one  hundred  feet 
long,  and  the  street  at  least  four  or  five  rood  broad. 

"  Take  very  good  notice  of  the  behavior  of  the 
Swedes,  and  in  case  any  of  them  should  be  found  not 
well  affected  to  the  honorable  company,  and  the  state 
of  our  native  country,  to  prevent  further  trouble,  all 
such,  with  all  imaginable  civility,  were  to  be  caused 
to  depart,  and,  if  possible,  sent  to  New  Amsterdam." 

Jaquette  took  the  oath  "to  be  loyal,  and  faithfully 
administer  justice  and  maintain  the  laws,  and  main 
tain  and  protect  the  reformed  religion,  as  learned  and 
instructed,  and  in  conformity  with  the  Synod  of  Dor 
drecht,  and  to  promote  it  as  far  as  his  power  may 
extend,  and  to  secure  and  defend  the  fort."1 

This  laying  out  of  lots,  &c.,  was  the  first  commence 
ment  of  the  town  of  New  Amstel,  now  New  Castle. 
For  a  long  time  it  was  the  most  important  town  on 
the  banks  of  the  Delaware.  New  Castle  is  therefore 
the  oldest  town  either  in  Delaware  or  Pennsylvania. 

On  the  20th  of  December,  the  following  duties 
were  imposed  on  liquors  by  Jaquette,  viz.:  On  a 
a  hogshead  of  French  wine,  20  guilders ;  on  an  anker 
of  brandy  or  distilled  water  per  ton,  6  guilders ;  on 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  10,  pp.  174,  186,  191. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  271 

Holland  or  foreign  beer  per  ton,  4  guilders.  It  was 
also  forbidden  to  sell  liquor  to  the  Indians.  Jaquette, 
previous  to  his  administration  on  the  Delaware,  had 
for  some  years  been  a  resident  of  Brazil. 

On  the  28th  of  December,  several  Indian  sachems 
arrived  at  Fort  Cassimer  and  demanded  to  be  heard, 
which  being  granted  in  the  presence  of  the  Council 
and  citizens.  They  stated  that  from  the  late  com 
mander  (Delmetz  ?*)  they  were  promised  an  exten 
sion  of  the  trade,  and  at  higher  prices.  Jaquette  re 
plied,  "that  having  but  lately  arrived,  he  did  not 
know  what  was  done  before,  but  his  wish  was  to  live 
in  peace  and  amity  with  them,  and  that  if  anything 
promised  had  been  neglected  through  ignorance,  it 
ought  to  be  overlooked." 

They  asked  an  alteration  in  trade,  "using  a  vast 
volubility  of  words,"  and  demanded  for  two  deer,  a 
dress  of  cloth,  or  things  in  proportion.  Jaquette  re 
plied,  "that  his  principal's  custom  was  not  to  dic 
tate  ;  but  that  each  was  at  liberty  to  act  his  pleasure, 
and  might  go  where  his  purse  and  the  wares  best 
suited,"  to  which  they  assented. 

They  then  stated  that  according  to  previous  custom 
presents  were  made  to  the  chiefs  at  the  confirmation  of 
a  treaty.  Jaquette  answered  "  that  goods  were  now 
very  scarce,  and  though  as  much  inclined  as  ever  to 
give  proofs  of  friendship,  they  would  do  however 
what  they  could."  Accordingly,  a  subscription  was 

1  Derk  Smydt  is  undoubtedly  meant.  The  records  make  sad  work 
of  iiumes.  '  Every  prominent  man's  name  has  Leen  spelt  two  or  three 
different  ways. 


272  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

taken  up  amongst  the  traders  of  New  Amstel,  to 
which  the  company,  and  Jaquette  also,  subscribed 
liberally.  Eighty-nine  guilders  was  collected,  with 
which  presents  were  purchased  and  given  to  the  chiefs. 
Two  traders,  Israel  and  Isaac  Van  der  Zee  refused  to 
contribute,  preferring  "to  depart  the  river  and  aban 
don  the  trade,  rather  than  assist  with  the  other  in 
habitants  to  maintain  the  peace  and  tranquility  of  the 
community." 

P..  ~r  p  -,  Attempts  appear  to  have  been  made  in  the 
beginning  of  this  year  to  remove  the  Swedes 
by  the  Dutch,  and  settle  them  in  villages  according  to 
the  plan  proposed  previously,  as  on  the  19th  of  Jan 
uary  the  "free  people  of  the  Swedish  nation  residing 
on  the  second  corner  above  Fort  Cassimer,"  appeared 
before  the  Council  and  solicited  that  they  might  re 
main  on  their  lands,  as  they  had  no  inclination  to 
change  their  place  of  abode,  or  build  in  .the  new  vil 
lage,  but  claimed  the  promise  made  to  them  by  Stuy- 
vessant  of  being  allowed  to  remain  one  year  and  six 
weeks,  the  time  allowed  by  the  capitulation.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  they  said  they  would  conclude  what 
to  do. 

At  this  time,  it  appears  that  bricks  were  made  in 
this  State,  as  "Jacobus  Crabbe,"  on  the  5th  of  Feb 
ruary  presented  a  petition  to  the  Council  "respecting 
a  plantation  near  the  corner,  where  brick  and  stone 
are  made  and  baked."  His  petition  was  to  be  granted 
after  the  place  was  inspected.1 

On  the  13th  of  March.  Stuyvessant  received  news 

1  Albany  Kecords,  vol.  10,  p.  411. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  273 

from  Europe,  in  answer  to  his  despatch  announcing 
the  conquest  of  the  Delaware.  In  reply  they  say, 
"  We  do  not  hesitate  to  approve  of  your  expedition 
to  the  South  river,  and  its  happy  termination.  While 
it  agrees  in  substance  with  our  orders,  however,  we 
should  not  have  been  displeased  that  such  a  formal 
capitulation  of  the  surrender  of  the  forts  had  not 
taken  place,  but  that  the  whole  business  had  been 
transacted  in  a  similar  manner,  as  the  Swedes  set  us 
an  example  of  when  they  had  made  themselves  mas 
ter  of  Fort  Cassimer;  our  reason  is,  that  all  which 
is  tvrittcn  and  copied  is  too  long  preserved,  and  may 
sometimes,  when  it  is  neither  desired  or  expected  be 
brought  forward,  whereas  words  not  recorded,  arc  by 
length  of  time  forgotten,  or  may  be  explained,  construed 
or  exercised  as  circumstances  may  require.  But  as  all 
this  is  passed  by,  our  only  object  in  making  this  ob 
servation,  is  to  give  a  warning  if  similar  opportuni 
ties  might  present  themselves  in  future.  You  will 
take  care  that  said  Fort  Cassimer  is  in  every  respect 
well  provided,  and  placed  in  a  state  of  defence,  but 
do  not  mind  the  Fort  Christina,  leaving  only  to  ascer 
tain  its  possession,  three  or  four  men  in  it,  soliciting 
some  individuals  to  establish  themselves  there."1 

The  news  of  the  conquest  of  New  Sweden  had  by 
this  time  reached  the  Swedes.  Accordingly  on  the 
22d  of  March,  H.  Appleboom,  the  Swedish  resident 
at  the  Hague,  delivered  a  strong  protest  to  the  Dutch 
government  respecting  it.  In  it  he  asserted  that  the 
Swedish  company  had  the  best  title  to  the  territory; 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  4,  p.  204. 

18 


274  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

that  they  had  purchased  it  from  the  natives.  He 
desired  speedy  redress,  and  that  the  Swedish  com 
pany  should  be  restored  undamaged.  The  States 
General  received  the  memorial,  and  passed  a  reso 
lution  on  the  24th  of  March,  that  it  should  be  ex 
amined,  together  with  an  extensive  memorial  on  the 
"same  business  by  the  deputies  of  Amsterdam,  Rot 
terdam  and  Hoorn."  and  a  speedy  answer  made  to 
the  Swedes.1  But  nothing  was  ever  done  to  give 
satisfaction  to  the  Swedes,  and  it  continued  to  be  a 
subject  of  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  crown  of 
Sweeden  to  the  State  General  for  many  years.  In 
this  correspondence  the  Delaware  is  called  "the  South 
river  of  Florida." 

Before  the  news  of  the  conquest  of  their  posses 
sions  on  the  Delaware  had  reached  Sweden,  they 
had  despatched  a  vessel  from  there  called  the  Mer- 
curius,  with  130  people  for  South  river.  She  arrived 
about  the  latter  end  of  March.  Jaquette  prohi 
bited  her  landing  her  crew  and  passengers,  not 
withstanding  the  request  of  Pappegoya  and  Sweri 
Schute,  who  remained  after  the  departure  of  Rising, 
and  who  were  no  doubt  glad  to  see  the  arrival  of 
friends  and  countrymen  from  fatherland.  Word  was 
immediately  sent  to  Fort  Amsterdam.  The  Council 
there  met  on  the  night  of  the  28th  of  March,  and 
passed  a  resolution  confirming  the  action  of  Jaquette 
in  prohibiting  the  landing  of  her  crew  and  passen 
gers,  but  allowing  her  to  revictual  and  depart  for 
Sweden.  Two  days  after  the  passage  of  this  resolu- 

1  MSS.  in  N.  Y.  Hist.  Soc. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  275 

tion  a  letter  was  received  by  the  Council  at  New  Am 
sterdam  from  Pappegoya  requesting  that  those  that 
came  from  Sweden  should  be  allowed  to  settle  in  this 
country.  Hendrick  Huygen,  the  captain,  also  wrote 
to  the  Council,  making  the  same  request.  In  his  let 
ter  complaining  of  the  hardship  that  would  be  the 
result  if  the  colonists  in  his  vessel  were  not  allowed 
to  land,  he  said,  "beside  the  immense  loss  they  would 
suffer,  many  good  farmers  would  be  ruined,  parents 
separated  from  children,  and  even  husband  from  wife." 
From  this  it  appears  that  many  that  came  over  in  the 
Mercurius  were  portions  of  the  families  of  those 
already  resident  on  the  Delaware.  The  Dutch  de 
sired  them  to  settle  at  New  Amsterdam.  But  the 
captain,  Huygen,  very  properly  remonstrated  against 
his  countrymen  "  being  compelled  to  reside  among  a 
foreign  nation  whose  language  they  could  not  under 
stand,  and  whose  manners  were  unknown  to  them." 
This  remonstrance  also  had  no  effect  upon  the  New 
Amsterdam  Council,  who  at  a  meeting  on  the  llth  of 
April  more  peremptorily  insisted  that  the  crew  and 
passengers  of  the  Mercurius  should  not  land  on  the 
South  river. 

The  Dutch  were  greatly  alarmed  at  this  accession 
to  the  strength  of  the  Swedes,  and  it  was  resolved  at 
the  same  Council  to  send  the  man-of-war  Balance  to 
the  South  river  to  bring  the  Mercurius  to  Manhattan. 
But  the  Captain  arriving  overland  to  hold  personal 
communication  with  the  Council,  to  save  expense, 
this  part  of  their  resolution  was  rescinded,  although 
it  was  resolved  to  keep  her  at  New  Amsterdam  until 


276  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

the  Mercurius  arrived  there.  In  the  meantime  ru 
mors  came  to  them  through  the  savages  that  there 
had  been  difficulty  between  the  Swedes  and  Dutch. 
On  the  strength  of  these  rumors,  twelve  or  fifteen 
armed  men,  under  command  of  Ensign  Smith,  were 
at  once  sent  to  the  South  river  overland.  Informa 
tion,  however,  soon  afterwards  arrived  that  John 
Pappegoya  and  a  number  of  Indians  and  resident 
Swedes  had  gone  on  board  the  Mercurius  and  sailed 
past  Fort  Cassimer,  both  in  defiance  of  Dutch  orders 
and  Dutch  cannon,  and  landed  her  cargo  and  passen 
gers  at  Marcus  Hook.  The  Dutch,  it  is  said,  did  not 
like  to  fire  on  the  ship  for  fear  of  injuring  the  Indi 
ans.  In  the  Mercurius  came  over  a  Swedish  clergy 
man  named  Matthias.  He  stayed  here  about  two 
years,  and  then  departed  for  Europe. 

The  Dutch  were  much  incensed  at  this  action  of 
the  Swedes,  and  despatched  the  man-of-war  Balance, 
whose  previous  order  for  sailing  to  the  South  river 
they  had  rescinded,  to  bring  the  Mercurius  to  New 
Amsterdam.  This  was  done,  but  it  appearing  upon 
examination  that  the  Captain  had  nothing  to  do  with 
running  past  the  Dutch  Fort,  but  that  Pappegoya  and 
the  resident  Swedes  were  the  only  ones  to  blame  in 
the  transaction,  he  was  allowed  to  return  to  Europe 
with  his  vessel  upon  paying  the  duties  on  the  cargo. 
Pappegoya  about  this  time  must  have  returned  to 
Sweden,  leaving  his  wife,  Armigard,  the  daughter  of 
Governor  Printz,  behind  him,  as  on  the  3d  of  Au 
gust,  in  her  own  name,  she  petitioned  the  Council  at 
New  Amsterdam  to  be  allowed  to  take  possession  of 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  277 

Printzdorp  and  Tinnakonk,  which  she  had  been  for 
bidden  to  do  by  Jaquette.  Her  petition  was  granted. 
Printzdorp,  it  is  supposed,  was  situated  on  Tinicum 
Island.  It  is  more  than  probable  the  reason  for  Pap- 
pegoya's  leaving  the  Delaware  was  the  part  he  took 
in  running  the  Mercurius  past  the  batteries.  It  is 
believed  he  never  returned  to  Delaware,  as  no  men 
tion  is  ever  made  of  him  afterwards  in  any  record  in 
relation  to  the  affairs  of  this  State.  Frequent  men 
tion,  however,  is  made  of  his  wife  Armigard. 

In  the  spring  a  number  of  settlers  came  from  Fort 
Amsterdam  and  settled  at  Fort  Cassimer.  The  Gov 
ernor  and  Council  then  commenced  giving  deeds  for 
lands.  By  August  they  had  given  seventy-five, 
mostly  for  lots  in  the  town  of  New  Amstel,  around 
the  fort.  A  yearly  rent  of  twelve  stivers  for  every 
morgan  of  land  was  required.1  Within  the  Swedish 
districts,  which  were  principally  on  both  sides  of  the 
Christina  and  Brandywine  creeks,  in  New  Castle, 
Brandywine,  and  Christiana  hundreds,  in  New  Castle 
county,  no  deeds  were  given  at  this  time,  but  a  tax 
of  five  or  six  gilling  was  laid  on  every  family  agree 
able  to  the  project  of  the  Schoute.2 

From  various  causes,  the  Dutch  West  India  Com 
pany  now  found  themselves  much  in  debt.  To  re 
cover  the  South  river  from  the  Swedes,  they  had  to 
receive  aid  from  the  city  of  Amsterdam.  To  relieve 
themselves  from  this  embarrassment  they  on  the  IGth 
of  August  agreed  to  transfer  to  that  city  all  the  lands 

1  Acrelius.     A  stiver  is  a  Dutch  coin,  in  value  about  two  cents. 

2  Acrelius,  p.  420. 


278  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

on  the  west  side  of  the  Delaware,  from  the  south 
side  of  Christina  creek2  to  Bombay  Hook.  This  was 
called  the  Colony  of  the  City.  All  the  land  above 
Fort  Christina,  extending  up  the  river  as  far  as  the 
limits  of  the  Dutch  settlement  was  called  the  Colony  of 
the  Company.  Acrelius  has  the  matter  exactly  con 
trary,  giving  the  Colony  of  the  Company  jurisdiction 
below  the  Christiana,  and  that  of  the  city  above,  or 
north  of  it;  and  Ferris,  in  his  "Original  Settlements," 
follows  his  authority.  But  a  copy  of  the  original 
grant  is  extant,  and  republished  in  the  Holland  Docu 
ment.  The  transfer,  however,  was  not  concluded 
until  April  12,  1657.  The  following  was  the  agree 
ment  entered  into  between  the  Burgomasters  of  Am 
sterdam  and  the  intended  settlers  of  the  Colony  of 
New  Amstel,  (now  New  Castle,)  that  they  were  to 
transport  from  that  city  to  the  Delaware. 

They  were  to  be  transported,  with  their  families, 
furniture,  &c.,  in  vessels  to  be  procured  by  the  city, 
who  were  to  advance  the  freight  money,  to  be  after 
wards  refunded.  The  city  engaged  to  provide  them 
a  fruitful  soil,  healthy  and  temperate  climate,  watered 
by  and  situated  on  a  fresh  water  river,  on  which  large 
ships  may  sail,  having  made  an  agreement  with  the  West 
India  Company  to  this  effect,  for  a  place  at  their  dis 
posal,  to  which  no  other  persons  have  any  claims. 
The  city  was  there  to  lay  out  on  the  river  side  a  suit 
able  place  for  their  residence,  and  fortify  it  with  a 
trench  without  and  a  wall  within,  and  divide  the  in 
closed  lands  into  streets  and  lots  for  traders,  mechan- 

1  The  Indians  also  called  Christina  creek,  Suspencough. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  279 

ics  and  farmers,  and  have  a  market,  all  to  be  at  the 
expense  of  the  city.  The  city  was  to  find  a  school 
master,  and  provide  for  him,  who  should  also  read  the 
Holy  Scriptures  in  public,  and  set  the  psalms. 

The  city  was  also  to  provide  for  one  year,  clothing, 
provisions  and  garden  seeds ;  to  build  a  large  store 
house  to  contain  their  goods,  clothing  and  provisions ; 
to  keep  a  factor  there  with  all  necessaries,  and  sell 
them  at  Amsterdam  prices  to  the  colonists.  The  com 
pany's  toll  was  to  be  employed  in  building  and  sup 
porting  public  works,  under  direction  of  those  author 
ized  by  the  West  India  Company  and  city.  The  po 
lice  of  the  town  and  city,  as  well  as  administration 
of  justice  was  to  be  as  in  Amsterdam.  A  schout,  or 
head  justice  was  to  be  appointed  in  the  names  of  their 
"High  Mightinesses  and  West  India  Company,"  by 
deputies  of  Amsterdam,  who  were  to  give  the  director 
a  power  of  attorney.  Three  burgomasters  were  to 
be  appointed  by  the  common  burghers,  from  the 
"  honestest,  fittest,  and  richest"  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  five  or  seven  schepens,  of  which  the  burghers 
were  to  nominate  a  double  number,  from  which  the 
director,  by  attorney,  were  to  select.  When  the  town 
contained  two  hundred  or  more  families,  they  were 
to  choose  a  common  council  of  twenty-one  persons, 
to  meet  with  the  burgomasters  and  schepens,  and 
consult  on  matters  relating  to  government  of  the 
city ;  once  established,  the  council  were  to  supply 
vacancies  by  a  new  election,  by  a  plurality  of  votes. 
They  were  annually  to  choose  burgomasters,  and 
nominate  a  double  number,  out  of  which  to  choose 


280  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

schepens.  The  schepens  were  to  decide  causes  for 
all  sums  under  one  hundred  guilders1  ($60)  ;  over  that 
sum  appeal  was  to  be  allowed  to  the  Director  General 
and  Council  of  New  Netherlands.  The  schepens  to 
pronounce  sentences  in  criminal  cases,  subject  to  ap 
peal. 

The  city  of  Amsterdam  was  to  agree  with  a  smith, 
wheelwright,  and  carpenter  to  live  with  the  colonists. 

The  city  agreed  to  divide  the  lands  about  the  town 
into  fields,  for  plough,  meadow  and  pasture,  and  allow 
for  roads.  Every  farmer  was  to  have  "  in  free,  fast 
and  durable  property"  as  many  morgans  of  land  as 
the  family  could  improve,  and  for  grazing,  which  was 
to  be  under  cultivation  in  two  years,  or  they  were  to 
be  forfeited.  No  poundage,  horn  or  salt  money  was 
to  be  required  for  ten  years  from  the  first  sowing  or 
pasturing ;  at  the  end  of  ten  years  they  were  to  pay 
no  other  tax  than  the  lowest  paid  in  any  other  dis 
trict  of  the  West  India  Company.  They  were  to  be 
free  from  tenths  for  twenty  years,  from  the  first  sowing; 
at  the  end  of  twenty  years  the  tenths  were  to  be 
given  to  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  half  of  which  tenths 
were  to  be  applied  to  the  support  of  the  public  works 
and  of  persons  employed  in  the  public  service,  so  also 
of  poundage  and  other  charges  whenever  paid. 

The  ships  sent  from  Holland  by  the  city  of  Am 
sterdam  were  to  load  and  bring  over  corn,  seeds, 
merchandize  and  wood.  The  colonists  were  at  liberty 
to  charter  private  ships;  but  they  were  to  be  con 
signed  to  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  who  were  to  provide 

1  A  guilder  is  about  60  cents. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  281 

for  them  storehouses  and  sell  the  goods,  and  return  the 
proceeds  as  ordered,  deducting  only  two  per  cent,  for 
commissions,  and  one  tenth  of  net  proceeds  for  dis 
bursements  by  the  city  for  the  freight  and  passages 
of  the  colonists,  and  their  goods,  which  were  to  cease 
when  the  disbursements  were  refunded. 

The  colonists  were  allowed  to  take  what  they  re 
quired  from   the   city's  warehouse,  at  a  fixed  price, 
the  account  to  be  sent  with  their  goods  and  to  be  de-' 
ducted  therefrom. 

The  colonists  were  allowed  to  cut  what  wood  they 
require  for  building  houses  and  vessels,  from  any 
forest  in  the  district  not  granted  to  private  persons, 
free  of  cost,  and  were  allowed  also  freely  to  hunt  in 
the  woods,  and  fish  in  any  waters  not  private  pro 
perty,  under  regulations  to  be  made  by  the  com 
pany,  &c.  The  burgomasters  of  Amsterdam,  as  foun 
ders  and  patrons,  were  to  appoint  secretaries,  messen 
gers,  and  other  inferior  officers,  and  the  city  of  Am 
sterdam  were  to  see  that  all  tools  and  implements 
were  transported  free  and  without  recognitions. 
The  discovery  of  minerals,  crystals,  precious  stones, 
marbles,  &c.,  were  allowed  to  keep  them  as  their  own 
for  ten  years,  free  of  duty  or  imposition ;  after  ten 
years  they  were  to  pay  to  the  company  one-tenth  of 
their  proceeds.  The  city  of  Amsterdam  was  to  pro 
vide  a  warehouse  for  all  the  goods  it  should  send  to 
New  Netherlands,  to  be  visited  by  any  person  ap 
pointed  by  the  directors  of  the  West  India  Company, 
under  the  inspection  of  a  person  appointed  by  the 
city,  and  marked  with  the  marks  of  the  city  and 


282  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

company ;  the  recognition  was  to  be  paid  to  the 
company,  according  to  the  list.  These  goods  might 
then  be  laden  with  the  knowledge  of  the  company, 
in  any  vessel  they  could  obtain.  If  the  city  was  to 
ship  any  goods  or  freight  to  New  Amsterdam,  they 
were  to  submit  to  the  same  regulations  as  others ; 
but  if  the  city  of  Amsterdam  sent  its  own  or  char 
tered  vessels,  laden  only  with  its  own  goods,  the 
vessel  was  to  go  to  its  own  city  or  colony,  but  all 
the  goods  on  board  were  to  be  advertised  in  the  city 
warehouse,  under  the  inspection  of  any  one  of  the 
company  appointed  for  that  purpose,  to  whom  the 
letters  and  commission  from  the  company  were  to  be 
delivered;  and  vice  versa  of  goods  that  were  im 
ported  from  the  city's  colony  into  Amsterdam.  Duties 
to  the  country  and  to  the  company  were  to  be 
paid. 

All  materials,  &c.,  for  farming  or  trades  were  to 
be  free  from  recognitions ;  all  produce  of  New  Neth 
erlands  on  importation  was  to  be  free  of  duty ;  so 
also  was  salted  or  dried  fish  taken  there.  Peltry, 
such  as  beavers,  otter,  &c.,  had  to  pay  eight  per  cent. 
Besides  the  duties  above  paid  in  Amsterdam,  there 
was  also  to  be  paid  in  New  Netherlands  4  per  cent, 
in  light  money,  reckoning  the  rix  dollar  at  63  sti 


vers.1 


On  the  4th  of  November,  a  bridge  was  ordered  to 
be  built  over  the  creek  near  Fort  Cassimer.  This 
was  the  first  bridge  that  we  have  any  account  of  as 
being  built  within  the  limits  of  this  State. 

1  Hazard's  Historical  Collections,  vol.  2,  pp.  543,  547. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  283 

It  appears  that  tobacco  was  at  this  time  one  of  the 
most  important  productions  raised  by  the  Dutch  in 
this  State.  On  the  9th  of  November  the  inhabitants 
of  New  Amstel  were  summoned  to  nominate  four 
persons,  out  of  whom  to  elect  two  expert  persons  as 
tobacco  inspectors. 

On  the  12th  of  December  a  placard  was  posted  up 
stating  "that  it  is  ascertained  that  this  river  has  be 
come  renowned  for  its  tobacco,  and  persons  are  daily 
encouraged  to  settle  within  its  limits ;  if  this  pro 
duce  is  managed  as  it  ought  to  be,  and  properly  cured 
and  packed,  and  all  sorts  of  fraud,  which  might  be 
used,  is  carefully  avoided ;  and  whereas,  all  this  can 
not  well  be  effected  except  it  is  examined  and  in 
spected  before  reported,  arid  whereas  expert  and 
faithful  persons  are  required  for  this  inspection,  &c. 
Meenes  Andriessen  and  William  Maunts  are  selected 
for  the  nomination  as  inspectors/'  They  were  to  in 
spect  all  the  tobacco  before  it  was  exported.  Ja- 
quette  commanded  that  no  tobacco  should  either  be 
delivered,  received  or  exported  without  being  in 
spected.  For  each  hundred  weight  of  tobacco,  six 
stivers  were  to  be  paid  by  the  receiver,  and  four  sti 
vers  by  the  seller,  under  penalty  of  fifty  guilders  for 
the  first  offence,  and  for  the  second  and  third  in  pro 
portion.  The  informer  was  to  receive  twenty  guilders, 
and  his  name  was  to  be  kept  secret.1 

In  the  latter  part  of  this  year,  Stuyvessant  re 
ceived  information  of  the  sale  of  Fort  Cassimer  and 
the  territory  in  our  own  State,  from  Christina  to 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  10,  pp.  448,  450. 


284  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Bombay  Hook,  to  the  city  of  Amsterdam.  The 
name  of  Fort  Christina  was  then  changed  to  Altona. 
He  was  also  informed  that  Jacob  Alricks  (now  spelled 
Alrich,)  was  appointed  Director  or  Governor  of  the 
City's  Colony.  The  numerous  and  respectable  family 
of  Alrich  in  this  State  are  descended  from  the  nephew 
of  this  Governor.  One  of  them  now  occupies  the  land 
which  has  been  successively  inherited  in  unbroken 
succession  from  his  ancestor,  this  nephew,  who  was  also 
a  governor  of  Delaware.  Stuy  vessant  was  instructed 
to  garrison  the  different  forts  of  Altona,  New  Got- 
tenberg  and  the  Island  of  Hattenberg,  with  eight  or 
ten  soldiers.  The  directors  also  informed  him  that 
"to  all  appearance  a  large  number  of  the  exiled  Wai- 
deneses"  would  flock  to  Delaware  as  an  asylum.  They 
promised  to  endeavor  to  induce  them  to  do  so.  They 
also  sent  him  orders  "  to  endeavor  to  purchase,  before 
it  could  be  accomplished  by  any  other  nation,  all  that 
tract  of  land  situated  between  the  South  river  and 
the  corner  of  the  North  river."  The  directors  also 
express  their  fears  to  him  that  the  establishing  of  the 
new  colony  at  Delaware,  and  the  consequent  cheap 
ness  of  goods  and  taxes  may  prove  an  injury  to  New 
Amsterdam,  by  the  migration  of  its  citizens  there. 
In  a  Holland  document,  written  this  year,  reference 
is  made  to  the  Delaware  as  being  considered  "  the 
finest  river  of  all  North  America,  being  wide,  deep, 
and  navigable  ;  abounding  in  fish,  especially  an  abund 
ance  of  sturgeons,  of  whose  roes  a  great  quantity  of 
cavejaar  might  be  made."1 

1  IIoll.  Documents,  vol.  8,  pp.  32,  50. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

FROM  1657  TO  1659. 

Meeting  at  New  Amstel  to  regulate  the  price  of  furs — The  penalty 
for  its  violation — Trading  with  Indians  forbidden — The  city  of 
Amsterdam  sends  settlers  to  Delaware — Wreck  of  the  Prince  Mau 
rice — Arrival  of  Alrick  Governor  of  New  Amstel,  of  D'Hinoyossa, 
of  Martin  Krygier — Formal  cession  of  New  Amstel  to  city  of  Am 
sterdam — Deed  of  grant — Arrival  of  Alricks  at  New  Amstel, 
settlers  and  soldiers — Van  Sweringen — Removal  of  Jaquette — 
Twelve  Indian  Nations. — Attempt  to  get  the  Swedes  to  settle  in 
villages — They  have  their  own  officers — Murder  of  Laurens  Ilan- 
sen  by  Indians — City  Hall  and  100  houses  built  at  New  Amstel — 
Its  government — Seven  City  Councillors  elected — Schepens  ap 
pointed — Salt  Works  on  Delaware — Bricks  at  New  Amstel. — 
Sickness — Alricks  uses  the  company's  negroes  and  oxen — Cows 
purchased — English  wrecked  at  Cape  Ilenlopen — Ransomed — 
Settle  in  Delaware — Jealousy  of  the  West  India  Company — No 
more  English  to  settle — First  Church  and  Schoolmaster — Forts 
New  Amstel  and  Altona — Food  scarce — Bad  state  of  affairs 
— Council  at  New  Amsterdam  on  affairs  of  Delaware — Frauds  of 
merchants  and  inhabitants — Stuyvessant  visits  Delaware — Swedes 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance — Privileges  granted  them — Subsidies 
from  the  Swedes  to  be  neutral  in  war  between  Sweden  and  Hol 
land — Jealonsy  of  English — Stuyvessant  instructed  to  purchase 
land  between  Bombay  Hook  and  Cape  Ilenlopen — Sickness  at  New 
Amstel — Distress  for  bread — Arrival  of  ship  Mill  with  settlers — 
Sickness  amongst  them — Beekman,  Governor  of  Altona — His  in 
structions — First  tailors,  shoemakers — Expenses  of  garrison  at 
New  Amstel. 

ON  the  10th  of  January,  a  meeting  was    r-iazr— i 
held  at  New  Amstel  to  fix  the  price  to  be 
given  to  the  Indians  for  their  skins  and  furs.     Com 
plaints  were  made  that  some  persons  did  not  hesitate 


286  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

to  spoil  the  trade  with  the  Indians  by  increasing  the 
price  of  deer  skins  one-third,  which  price  it  was 
feared  would  continue  to  be  increased  to  the  "  great 
loss  of  the  lower  classes."  Those  "who  made  their 
living  by  their  hands,  it  was  stated,  would  have  to 
pay  a  higher  price  for  several  articles  than  they  could 
sell  them  for  again."  This  inconvenience  was  thought 
to  be  small,  compared  to  "  what  might  be  apprehended 
when  the  spring  trade  in  beavers  was  opened.  In 
which  case  the  inhabitants  residing  in  the  neighbor 
hood  might  be  utterly  ruined."  Jaquette,  who  called 
this  meeting,  stated  that  "serious  complaints  had 
been  made  to  him  in  relation  to  the  matter,  but  he 
saw  no  mode  to  avert  the  evil,  save  by  calling  a  meet 
ing  of  the  community  and  determining  on  a  price 
which  should  be  adopted  as  a  rule  in  trading.  He 
promised  that  all  orders  the  community  should  de 
cree  should  be  promptly  executed  by  him  and  the 
Council."  Accordingly  they  adopted  the  following 
rules,  "  and  promised  by  their  signatures,  on  their 
honor  and  oath"  to  maintain  them.  If  they  broke 
them,  they  desired  to  be  considered  perjured  men. 
For  the  first  violation,  the  penalty  was  to  "  forfeit 
the  privilege  of  trading  for  a  whole  year."  For  the 
second  such  penalty  as  the  community  might  inflict. 
For  the  third  violation  they  were  to  be  expelled  from 
the  river.  The  prices  agreed  upon  were  as  follows  : 

For  a  merchantable  beaver,  two  fathoms  of  sea- 
wan. 

For  a  good  bear's  hide  to  the  value  of  a  beaver, 
two  fathom. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  287 

For  an  elant's  (moose)  hide  the  value  of  a 
beaver. 

For  a  deer  skin  120  seawan. 

Those  of  foxes,  ratelaplan,  hispans,  and  others  in 
proportion.  This  was  signed  by  about  thirty-six 
persons,  of  whom  about  a  dozen  made  their  marks.1 

On  the  10th  of  January  Jaquette  issued  a  placard 
complaining  of  the  great  abuses  by  the  inhabitants 
running  after  the  savages,  and  detaining  them,  when 
they  have  articles  for  sale,  and  orders  "  that  in  future 
no  person  shall  go  to  the  Indians  by  land  or  water 
to  trade  with  them,  or  offer  them  by  gifts  by  sailing 
up  and  down  the  river ;  nor  meet  the  Indians  when 
they  approach  their  dwellings  to  hire  and  coax  them, 
or  call  them  in  their  houses,  but  permit  them  to  use 
their  pleasure,"  under  penalty  of  the  forfeiture  of  the 
furs  thus  obtained,  besides  arbitrary  correction. 

In  the  meantime  the  city  of  Amsterdam  prepared  to 
send  out  settlers  to  their  colony  in  Delaware.  They 
fitted  out  four  vessels,  which  sailed  from  Amsterdam  the 
latter  part  of  1656  or  beginning  of  1657,  and  arrived  on 
our  coast  in  the  early  part  of  March.  They  were  the  ship 
Prince  Maurice,  which  had  one  hundred  and  twelve 
persons  on  board,  besides  a  crew  of  sixteen  officers 
and  sailors ;  the  Bear,  which  had  thirty-three  per 
sons,  and  the  Flower  of  Gelder,  which  had  eleven, 
being  in  all  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  souls,  who 
intended  to  settle  in  this  State.  There  was  also  a 
vessel  called  the  Beaver,  the  number  of  whose  pas 
sengers  -is  not  given.  They  all  arrived  safely  but  the 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  10,  p.  455. 


288  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

principal  ship,  the  Prince  Maurice,  which  was  wrecked 
a  few  days  previous  to  the  12th  of  March,  on  Long 
Island,  near  the  present  town  of  Islip,  near  Fire 
Island  Inlet.  The  crew  and  passengers  were  saved. 
In  the  Prince  Maurice  came  the  new  Governor  for 
the  City's  Colony,  Jacob  Alricks,  and  a  company  of 
fifty  soldiers,  commanded  by  Captain  Martin  Kry- 
gier,  and  Lieutenant  DTIinoyossa.  The  ship  proved 
a  total  loss,  although  a  great  portion  of  the  cargo  was 
saved.  D'llinoyossa  afterwards  became  Governor  of 
the  State,  and  Martin  Krygier  held  several  important 
offices,  and  remained  here  after  the  conquest  of  the 
State  by  the  English.  Alricks  wrote  an  account  of 
the  disaster  to  Stuyvessant,  who  promptly  sent  him 
relief. 

In  addition  to  the  former  mentioned  vessels,  the  city 
of  Amsterdam  also  sent  over  a  few  months  later,  the 
man-of-war  Balance,  (which  by  this  time  had  arrived 
in  Amsterdam),  with  colonists,  and  a  sloop  called  the 
Golden  Mill,  with  merchandize. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  Stuyvessant  made  a  formal 
session  of  the  1'ands  on  the  Delaware,  heretofore 
mentioned  as  purchased  by  the  city  of  Amsterdam, 
to  Jacob  Alricks,1  who  immediately  afterwards  em- 

1  The  following  is  the  grant : 

"I,  Peter  Stuyvessant,  in  behalf  of  the  high  and  mighty  Lords, 
the  States  General  of  New  Netherlands,  and  Lords  Directors  of  the 
privileged  West  India  Company,  Director  General  of  New  Nether 
lands,  &c.,  declare  that  on  this  day,  in  conformity  with  the  orders  and 
letters  of  the  Directors,  dated  December  19,  1650,  I  made  a  transfer 
and  cession  to  the  Honorable  Jacob  Alricks  and  Commissary  General 
of  their  Colony  on  South  river,  in  New  Netherlands,  the  Fortress 
Cassimer,  now  named  New  Amstel,  with  all  the  lands  dependant  on 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  289 

barked  on  the  Gilded  Beaver  for  New  Amstel,  the 
future  seat  of  his  government.  He  took  with  him 
one  hundred  and  eighty  people,  of  which  seventy-six 
were  women  and  children,  and  sixty  soldiers.  They 
reached  New  Amstel  after  a  passage  of  five  days, 
about  the  middle  of  April,  when  he  assumed  the 
government  of  that  portion  of  Delaware  from  the 
southerly  side  of  the  Christiana,  to  what  is  now  known 
as  Little  Duck  creek.  Jaquette  remained  governor 
of  that  portion  of  the  State  on  the  northern  side  of 
the  Christina,  comprising  the  city  of  Wilmington  and 

it,  in  conformity  with  our  first  purchase  from,  and  transfer  by  the 
natives  to  us,  on  the  19th  of  July,  1651,  beginning  at  the  west 
side  of  the  Minquas,  or  Christina  Kill,  (named  in  their  language 
Suspencough),  to  the  mouth  of  the  bay  or  river  included,  named 
Sompjeshockj  (Tree's  Corner),  in  the  Indian  language  Canarasse,  and 
this  so  far  in  the  country  as  the  limits  of  the  Minquas  land,  with  all  the 
streams,  hills,  creeks,  harbors,  bays  and  plains  belonging  to  these  ; 
of  all  which  lands,  with  their  appendages  and  dependencies,  we  now 
make  a  cession  and  transfer  in  the  name  and  behalf  of  the  Lords 
Directors,  patrons  to  the  aforesaid,  the  lion.  Jacob  Alricks,  in  behalf 
of  the  Honorable  Burgomasters  and  rulers  of  the  city  of  Amster 
dam,  making  a  cession  of  all  our  actual  and  real  possessions,  pro 
perty,  right  and  privileges,  and  all  that  on  such  conditions  as  between 
the  aforesaid  Directors,  and  the  Burgomasters  and  rulers  of  the  city 
of  Amsterdam,  have  been  sanctioned ;  appointing,  therefore,  in  our 
place,  and  constituting  the  aforesaid  lion.  Jacob  Alricks  in  that 
quality,  in  behalf  as  before  proprietor,  in  our  place,  without  reser 
ving  to  our  place  in  our  former  quality  any  action  or  pretension, 
promising,  therefore,  to  hold  sacred  this  our  transfer.  In  truth 
whereof  we  have  signed  this,  and  confirmed  it  with  our  usual  signa 
ture. 

"  Done  in  Fortress  Amsterdam,  New  Netherlands,  April  12,  1657. 

P.  STUYVESSANT, 
NICOLAS  DE  SILLE, 
PETER  TANNEMAN." 
Albany  Kecords,  vol.  15,  pp.  124,  125. 
19 


290  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

the  hundreds  of  Brandywine,  Christiana,  White  Clay 
creek,  and  Mill  creek,  together  with  the  portions  of 
Pennsylvania  that  were  then  settled.  Gerritt  Van 
Sweringen,  afterwards  one  of  the  governors  of  this 
State,  was  the  supercargo  of  the  Gilded  Beaver. 

Jaquette  held  his  office  as  governor  of  the  northern 
portions  of  Delaware  but  a  few  days  after  the  arrival 
of  Alricks,  for  complaints  having  been  made  to  Stuy- 
vessant  of  his  "  delaying  and  declining  to  administer 
justice,  obstructing  legal  arrests,  of  arbitrary  execu 
tions  on  his  own  authority,  without  the  shadow  of  any 
legal  process,  but  by  acts  of  violence,  of  taking  pos 
session  of  lands,  and  cultivating  those  which  were 
granted  to  other  persons ;"  for  these,  and  various  other 
alleged  breaches  of  law  and  right,  Stuyvessant,  on 
the  20th  of  April,  removed  him  from  office,  and  in 
structed  him  to  deliver  all  the  effects  of  the  company 
into  the  hands  of  Andreas  Hudde,  Jan  Juriansen  and 
Sergeant  Paulus  Jansen.     He  was  also  instructed  to 
prepare  for  his  defence.     He  at  the  same  time  sent 
Captain  Martin  Krygier  overland  to  Delaware,  to  re 
ceive  what  goods  Jaquette  had  had  in  his  possession. 
On  the  23d  of  May,  Attorney  General  Nicatius  De 
Sille  arrested  Jaquette.     In  asking  authority  for  this 
course  he  asserts  that  Jaquette  "vexed  the  commu 
nity,  tyrannized  over  the  inhabitants,  and  made  the 
soldiers'  lot  nearly  insufferable."     Great  complaints 
were  also  made  by  the  farmers  against  him.     On  the 
18th  of  June  Jaquette  appeared  before  the  Council, 
where  the  main  body  of  these  charges  do  not  appear 
to  have  been  inquired  into,  but  instead,  some  disputes 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  291 

with  Jacob  Swenske,  as  to  "  who  violated  the  arrest 
of  a  certain  Neil  Swarsen,"  received  the  attention  of 
the  Council.  As  to  the  result  of  the  trial  of  the  seventh 
governor  of  Delaware,  history  makes  no  mention. 

Alricks  soon  after  his  arrival  made  inquiries  in  re 
lation  to  the  number  of  the  Indian  nations  in  his 
vicinity — he  found  there  were  twelve  of  them. 

Attempts  were  again  made  to  get  the  Swedes  to 
settle  in  villages.  They  appear  at  this  time  to  have 
had  their  own  officers.  Gregorious  Vandyke  was 
their  sheriff. 

On  the  10th  of  August,  Laurens  Hansen,  described 
as  a  captain  of  armes,  one  of  the  garrison  at  Altona, 
(now  Wilmington),  went  with  Alexander  Boyer  on  a 
trading  expedition  to  the  Minquas,  and  was  mur 
dered  by  the  savages,  and  robbed  of  some  seawan, 
and  a  few  other  articles  which  he  had  with  him.  The 
Minquas  chief,  who  resided  in  the  next  fort  to  Altona, 
recovered  some  of  the  articles  from  the  murderer  and 
restored  them  to  the  Dutch.  It  does  not  appear  that 
any  punishment  was  ever  inflicted  on  the  Indian 
murderers  (whoever  they  were)  for  this  offence.1 
This  was  the  first  Indian  murder  in  New  Castle 
county,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  massacre  at 
Lewis  town,  the  first  murder  known  to  have  been 
committed  in  the  State. 

In  the  meantime  the  building  and  improvement  of 
New  Amstel  went  on  energetically.  About  the  be 
ginning  of  September,  lots  were  granted  to  the  colo 
nists.  A  magazine  was  erected,  the  fort  repaired,  a 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  12,  pp.  424,  425. 


292  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

guard-house,  bake-house  and  forge  built,  together  with 
residences  for  the  clergymen  and  other  public  officers. 
A  city  hall,  for  the  burghers,  was  also  erected.  It 
was  a  log  building,  two  stones  high,  and  twenty  feet 
square.  The  whole  of  the  public  buildings  were  en 
closed  within  a  square.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year 
New  Amstel  was  a  handsome  little  town  of  about  one 
hundred  houses.1  It  was  therefore  nearly  one-half 
its  present  size.  Alricks,  in  a  letter  written  about 
this  period,  thus  speaks  of  the  government  of  New 
Amstel.  He  says  : 

"  I  found  the  government  to  consist  of  a  military 
council  over  the  soldiers,  who  were  here  of  old.  The 
differences  between  the  old  settlers,  who  consisted  of 
about  twelve  or  thirteen  families,  were  decided  by 
the  commander  and  two  persons  acting  as  schepens, 
and  a  secretary  appointed  from  among  the  inhabi 
tants,  by  the  general,  on  the  part  of  the  West  India 
Company.  These  expressed  a  desire  now  that  the 
place  had  changed  hands,  that  a  burgherlike  gov 
ernment  should  be  continued,  according  to  the  condi 
tions,  as  it  was  under  the  Director  General  and  the 
West  India  Company.  So  it  was  that  they  continued 
to  decide  all  differences  between  burgher  and  burgher. 
All  affairs  appertaining  to  the  city  and  military  mat 
ters  were  disposed  of  by  me  and  the  Council,  and 
differences  between  the  city's  servant,  soldiers  and 
trainsbands  and  freemen,  until  the  arrival  of  the 
Balance,  when  seven  city  councillors  were  elected, 
and  from  them  three  new  schepens  were  chosen ;  an- 

1  Holl.  Documents,  vol.  15,  pp.  12,  213,  225,  227,  etc. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  29 { 


other  secretary  and   schout  were  also  appointed,  two 
elders,  and  two  deacons  for  the  management  of  church 

np    '          )>1 

atlairs. 

Salt  works  are  referred  to  in  the  records  at  this 
period.  Bricks  for  Delaware  appear  to  have  been 
brought  from  Fort  Orange,  now  Albany.  Things  did 
not  appear  to  go  on  well  at  New  Amstel  either.  On 
the  15th  of  September,  complaints  were  made  that 
Alricks  used  the  company's  oxen  and  negroes.  In 
the  latter  end  of  October,  there  was  also  a  great  deal 
of  bilious  fever  at  New  Amstel.  Alrick's  wife  and 
three  or  four  children  were  sick.  Forty  cows  were 
at  the  same  time  introduced  in  the  colony,  which 
were  purchased  by  Alricks  at  prices  ranging  from 
128  to  130  guilders  per  head.2  This  would  make 
the  price  of  a  cow  at  that  time  about  $78  80. 

About  this  time  two  boats,  with  fourteen  English 
men  ran  on  shore  at  Haverkill.3  The  Dutch  des 
patched  a  vessel  to  save  them,  but  did  not  succeed  in 
their  attempt,  though  they  lost  an  anchor.  They 
however  managed  to  ransom  six  of  them  from  the 
savages,  and  brought  them  to  New  Amstel.  Alricks 
immediately  sent  information  to  the  Governor  of  Vir 
ginia,  as  he  supposed4  they  belonged  to  that  place. 
They  however  settled  at  New  Amstel.  When  the 
news  of  this  affair  reached  Amsterdam,  it  caused  a 
great  deal  of  uneasiness  to  the  Dutch.  They  were 
afraid  that  the  English  were  endeavoring  to  get  pos- 

1  Holl.  Doc.  vol.  2,  p.  337.  2  Ibid,  p.  437. 

3  This  place  appears  to  have  been  near  Cape  Henlopen. 

4  Albany  Records,  vol.  12,  p.  437. 


294  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

session  of  the  country.  They  accordingly  wrote  to 
Stuyvessant  to  instruct  Alricks  if  these  men  were 
fugitives  from  labor  from  Virginia,  he  was  to  return 
them.  If  they  were  freemen,  he*  was  to  get  rid  of 
them  the  best  way  he  could,  without  giving  offence, 
but  on  no  account  to  let  any  more  English  settle  there, 
"much  less  to  allure  them  by  any  means  whatever." 
From  subsequent  accounts,  it  appeared  that  the  whole 
fourteen  were  ransomed  from  the  savages,  and  that 
all  finally  settled  in  this  State. 

At  the  latter  end  of  this  year  there  appears  to 
have  been  further  troubles  at  New  Amstel.  At  any 
rate,  Alrick's  letters  from  there  were  filled  with  com 
plaints.  Several  residents  of  New  Amstel  who  had 
purchased  goods  of  the  company,  and  mortgaged  their 
houses  and  lots  as  security,  sold  them,  and  moved  to 
Altona  without  satisfying  the  company's  debt.  On 
the  15th  of  December,  the  company  issued  a  warning 
to  purchasers  that  such  sales  were  null  and  void,  and 
cautioned  them  not  to  make  payment  unless  with  the 
company's  consent.1  Fort  Cassimer  he  represented 
as  in  sad  condition;  the  expenses  heavy,  the  means 
gone,  no  magazine  to  save  victuals,  the  walls  and  for 
tifications  crumbled  down  so  that  it  was  as  easy  to 
pass  them  through  the  walls  as  through  the  gate. 
Another  gate,  he  said,  was  required,  to  make  some 
outward  appearance  of  defence.  Some  parts  of  the 
fort  had  been  washed  away  by  encroachments  of  the 
river.  He  also  represents  Fort  Altona  (Christina)  as 
decaying,  and  stated  that  it  had  had  no  garrison  for 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  12,  p.  437. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  295 

a  long  time.  He  complained  of  the  scarcity  of  food 
for  the  garrison,  and  of  his  want  of  means  to  get  any. 
Complaint  had  also  been  sent  to  Stuyvessant  in  rela 
tion  to  his  administration  by  Ensign  Smith  and  Henry 
Iluygen,1  which  gave  him  additional  grounds  of  dis 
content. 

The  Delaware  was  about  this  time  frozen  over  op 
posite  New  Amstel,  in  one  night,  so  that  deer  could 
run  over  on  it,  which  the  Indians  relate  had  not  hap 
pened  before  in  the  memory  of  man.2 

On  the  25th  of  April,  Evert  Pietersoh,  whose  offi 
cial  position  was  that  of  schoolmaster  and  comforter 
of  the  sick,  landed  at  New  Amstel.  He  is  the  first 
schoolmaster  of  whom  there  is  any  record  on  the 
Delaware.  He  at  once  commenced  keeping  school, 
and  had  25  scholars  on  the  10th  of  August  following. 
In  a  letter  of  his  to  the  Commissioners  of  Amster 
dam,  he  states  that  "  wharves  were  already  laid  out" 
at  New  Amstel,  "and  almost  built."  He  also  says 
that  he  "found  20  families,  mostly  Swedes,"  in  the 
City's  Colony,  (that  portion  of  Delaware  south  of  the 
Christina),  "and  not  more  than  five  or  six  belonging 
to  our  (the  Dutch)  nation."3 

In  the  spring  things  were  still  backward 
in  New  Amstel  on  account  of  the  prevalence 
of  the  bilious  fever  in  the  fall.  Building  was  slow, 
as  from  the  desponding  letter  of  Alricks  giving  an 
account  of  affairs  on  the  South  river,  we  learn  that 

1  Alrick's  letters,  in  Albany  Records,  vol.  4,  p.  283. 

2  Canpanius,  p.  55. 

3  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  1,  p.  7. 


296  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

there  were  only  "four  or  five  carpenters"  at  New 
Amstel,  "and  they  were  usually  poor  workmen, 
without  experience  or  ingenuity."  They  were  also 
short  of  provision,  but  a  few  heads  of  cattle  arrived 
from  Virginia,  and  that  somewhat  revived  them.1 

On  the  20th  of  April,  the  Council  met  at  New 
Amsterdam,  and  took  into  consideration  the  affairs  of 
South  river.  It  was  decided  that  there  must  be  a 
change  of  management,  as  owing  to  the  removal  of 
Jaquette  there  were  many  irregularities.  Stuyves- 
sant  stated  he  was  advised  of  great  frauds  by  mer 
chants  of  this  city,  (New  Amsterdam),  and  others  on 
South  river,  in  non  payment  of  imports  and  ex 
ports.  "  That  those  who  did  not  pay,  could  sell 
cheaper  than  those  who  did."  That  several  persons 
of  New  Amstel  asked  permission  to  settle  near  Alto- 
na,  "there  to  begin  plantations."  Regulations,  it  was 
said,  were  necessary  among  the  Swedes.  It  was  de 
cided  that  Stuyvessant  and  Peter  Tonneman  should 
proceed  to  the  South  river.2  This  they  accordingly 
did.  They  were  met  at  Tinicum  by  the  officers  of 
the  Swedes,  viz.,  Gregorious  Van  Dyck,  the  Sheriff, 
Oloff  Style,  Mathys  Hanson,  Peter  Rambo,  and  Peter 
Cock,  Magistrates  ;  Swen  Schute,  Captain ;  Andrier 
D'Albo,  Lieutenant,  and  Jacob  Swensen,  Ensign. 
They  renewed  their  allegiance,  and  presented  a  peti 
tion  for  the  following  measures,  viz.  : 

For  executions  they  asked  a  Court  Messenger. 

Stuyvessant  told  them  "the  jailor  could  perform 
this  duty,  as  he  was  then  employed  by  the  sheriff 

1  Alrick's  letter,  in  Albany  Records,  vol.  4,  p.  285.  *  Ibid. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  297 

and  commissioners  to  make  summons,  arrests  and  ex 
ecutions." 

They  asked  for  "free  access  to  the  soldiers  at  Alto- 
na,  in  case  they  wished  their  aid  for  execution  of  re 
solves." 

Stuyvessant  commanded  "  the  provisional  commis 
sary  to  furnish  them  if  solicited  by  the  sheriff." 

They  asked  that  "no  person  should  leave  their 
limits  without  the  knowledge  of  the  magistrates, 
much  less  male  and  female  servants,  that  when  they 
leave  without  a  discharge,  or  try  to  run  off,  they  may 
be  arrested." 

Stuyvessant  ordered  "  that  no  person  should 
leave  without  the  consent  of  the  commissary.  Con 
sent,  however,  was  first  to  be  obtained  of  the  Di 
rector  General  and  Council,  as  usual  in  New  Nether 
lands  ;  and  if  any  Swedes  were  to  depart,  the  sheriff 
was  to  order  him  to  return,  and  in  case  of  refusal,  to 
arrest  him,  and  inform  the  Director." 

Some  subsidies  being  required,  the  sheriff  and  com 
missary,  were  directed  to  inquire  "  where  they  could 
be  obtained  with  the  least  incumberance  to  the  Swed 
ish  nation,"  who  are  styled  "  our  good  and  faithful 
subjects,  whom,  we  promise  that  we  cordially  desire 
to  favor  as  much  as  any  of  our  own  nation." 

The  Swedes  after  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
demanded  that  if  there  arose  a  difference  between 
Sweden  and  Holland  in  Europe,  that  "  they  might  be 
allowed  to  remain  neutral,  and  side  with  neither 
party."  -This  request  was  granted  by  Stuyvessant. 

The  Directors  at  Amsterdam  were  still  haunted 


298  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

with  visions  of  English  encroachments  on  the  South 
river,  and  fearing  they  might  endeavor  to  purchase 
the  lands  in  the  State  between  Bombay  and  Cape 
Henlopen,  then  called  the  Hoernkill.  On  the  1st 
of  June,  they  sent  instructions  to  purchase  it  from 
the  Indians,  on  the  account  of  the  Colony  of  the  City, 
who  pledged  themselves  to  erect  a  redoubt  for  its  de 
fence.  They  further  informed  Stuyvessant  they  in 
tended  to  place  buoys  in  the  bay  for  the  security  of 
vessels  which  might  arrive  on  the  coast. 

In  the  fall  of  this  year,  New  Amstel  was  again 
badly  afflicted  with  the  "  fall"  or  "  bilious  fever/'  and 
to  add  to  the  calamity,  the  barber  (surgeon)  died.  But 
few  old  people  died,  the  mortality  being  chiefly  among 
the  children.  Amongst  the  sick  were  Hinoyossa,  and 
Rynvelt,  the  commissary,  who  afterwards  died,  and 
all  the  schepens.  Christian  Barents,  whom  he  had 
employed  to  build  a  Ptoss  Mill,  also  died.  The  num 
ber  carried  off  by  this  sickness  amounted  to  about 
one  hundred,  or  one-sixth  of  the  population.  As  the 
population  of  the  Colony  of  the  City  was  then  according 
to  a  letter  of  Alricks  to  the  Commissioners,  appointed 
by  the  City  of  Amsterdam,  six  hundred  souls.  The 
colony  was  also  in  great  distress  for  the  want  of  bread 
and  corn.  The  harvest  proved  a  failure.  The  worm 
appeared  in  vast  quantities,  and  injured  the  crops  and 
gardens.  It  also  suffered  from  drought,  and  then 
again  from  excessive  rains.  It  did  not  even  produce 
its  seed,  as  where  nine  hundred  sheples  were  sown, 
only  six  hundred  sheples  were  produced.  Rye  was 
sold  at  nine  guilders  the  sack ;  peas  at  seven  or  eight 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  299 

guilders  per  gallon.  Again  there  was  not  a  single 
merchant  in  New  Amstel  that  sold  provisions.  The 
feeding  for  one  year,  also  from  the  company's  stores, 
had  caused  many  of  the  people  to  neglect  work. 
Alricks,  in  one  of  his  letters,  says  :  "  Many  come 
here  poor  as  worms,  and  lazy  with  all,  and  will  not 
work  unless  compelled  by  necessity." 

Several  children  were  sent  at  this  time  from  the 
Almshouse  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam  to  New  Am 
stel.  They  were  bound  out  by  Alricks  for  two  and 
three  years. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  the  ship  Mill  arrived 
from  Amsterdam,  with  one  hundred  and  eight  set 
tlers  on  board.  Owing  to  the  long  voyage,  scurvy 
broke  out  amongst  them,  and  ten  of  her  passengers 
died.  Three  more  died  after  their  arrival.  She 
brought  no  provisions,  and  so  many  more  mouths 
being  added  to  consume  the  slight  stock  of  provi 
sions  on  hand,  caused  additional  distress. 

Notwithstanding  the  general  distress,  Alricks 
greatly  improved  the  town  of  New  Amstel  by  the 
erection  of  several  buildings  and  enlargement  of 
others.  He  built  a  barracks  adjoining  the  fort,  of 
119  feet  long,  by  16  or  17  feet  wide  ;  a  public  store 
of  27  feet  long,  and  51  feet  wide;  a  bake-house 
roofed  with  tiles  imported  from  Holland,  18  feet 
wide,  and  31  gr  32  feet  long.  This  house  was  built 
in  the  Square,  (more  than  probable  the  square  where 
the  public  buildings  stand  in  New  Castle),  and  a 
house  for  the  commissary.  He  also  purchased  and 
enlarged  a  building  to  be  used  for  a  church,  also  a 


300  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

house  for  the  minister.  This  is  the  first  mention 
made  of  any  building  used  solely  for  religious  pur 
poses  in  this  State.1  We  have  no  evidence  in  regard 
to  the  place  in  which  it  was  situated.  The  erection 
of  the  barracks  were  for  the  soldiers  who  had  wives. 
Most  of  the  soldiers  were  married,  and  had  servant 
girls,  and  drew  rations  for  themselves,  their  wives, 
and  servants,  from  the  company.  The  position,  there 
fore,  of  a  soldier,  must  have  been  better  in  those 
early  days  than  now.  Many  of  the  settlers,  Alricks 
complains,  were  "weavers,  shoemakers,  buttonmakers, 
and  tailors.  Farming/'  he  alleges,  "was  too  hard  for 
them.  They  did  no  work,  but  loaf  about."2 

On  the  28th  of  October,  William  Beekman,  a 
Schepen  and  Elder  of  New  Amsterdam,  was  ap 
pointed  Vice  Director  and  Governor  of  Altona,  in 
place  of  Jaquette.  He  was  to  be  supreme  com 
mander  in  that  part  of  our  State,  both  in  civil  and 
military  affrirs.  His  salary  was  the  same  as  Ja- 
quette's,  viz,,  50  guilders  per  month,  and  200  guild 
ers  per  annum  for  board,  in  all  480  guilders  per  year. 
His  residence  was  for  the  present  to  be  in  the  dwell 
ing  house  at  Fortress  Altona,  but  he  was  instructed, 
as  soon  as  possible,  to  have  his  permanent  residence 
at  or  near  New  Amstel,  and  to  hire  a  house  or  rooms 
for  that  purpose  at  the  expense  of  the  company. 

1  This  was  undoubtedly  the  commencement  of  Emanuel  'Church  at 
New  Castle. 

2  Albany  Records,  vol.   12,  pp.  467,  476.     Broadhead.  vol.  1,  pp. 

49,  56. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  301 

Delaware  was  therefore  at  this  time  divided  into  two 
States,  with  two  governors. 

He  was,  amongst  other  matters,  instructed  on  the 
arrival  of  any  vessels  or  yachts  of  any  nation  (or 
at  least  before  their  unloading),  to  be  in  or  near  Fort 
New  Amstel,  to  attend  carefully  to  their  loading  and 
unloading.  To  allow  no  goods  to  be  laden  or  unladen 
without  his  examination,  and  to  see  that  all  duties 
were  paid.  To  prevent  smuggling,  he  was  always  to 
have  a  guard  of  the  company  at  New  Amstel,  under 
his  orders.  He  was  to  seize  all  smuggled  goods,  and 
have  a  share  of  those  confiscated,  and  prosecute  the 
smugglers  before  the  Council.  From  their  decision 
there  was  an  appeal  to  New  Amsterdam.  He  was 
also  to  have  all  the  powers  possessed  by  the  com 
pany  in  Altona,  to  administer  justice  both  in  civil 
and  military  affairs,  and  in  criminal  cases  of  minor 
grade.  He  was  also  instructed  to  find  out  the  owners 
of  land  between  Bombay  Hook  and  Cape  Henlopen, 
if  their  demands  were  reasonable,  to  enter  into  an 
agreement  for  their  purchase.  He  was  to  take  the 
advice  of  Alricks  in  his  purchase,  and  if  he  had  an 
opportunity  before  winter,  to  erect  a  fortification  at 
Henlopen  or  the  Hoernkiln.1 

The  wages  for  labor  at  this  time  in  Delaware,  ac 
cording  to  A] rick's  letters,  were  for  laborers  three 
guilders  a  day,  for  mechanics  four  guilders  a  day. 

The  estimated  expenses   of  the  garrison  of  Fort 

1  Beekrnan's  Letters,  which  have  been  preserved  amongst  the  Re 
cords  at  Albany.  They  form  the  most  valuable  history  of  the  early 
settlement  of  this  State  bv  the  Dutch. 


302  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Cassimer  were  as  follows  :  Captain,  50  florins  per 
month ;  lieutenant,  30 ;  ensign,  25 ;  two  sergeants, 
30  florins;  one  captain  of  arms,  10  florins;  two 
corporals,  (12  florins  each),  24  florins;  six  cadets, 
(each  10  florins),  60  florins;  two  drummers,  (£  flo 
rins  each),  18  florins;  forty-four  soldiers,  (each  8  flo 
rins),  352  florins.  Total  pay  per  month,  599  florins. 
The  expense  in  addition  for  rations  was  for  the  cap 
tain  for  the  year,  150;  the  lieutenant,  120;  the  en 
sign,  100;  each  sergeant,  80;  and  each  soldier  60 
florins.  The  estimated  expense  of  the  garrison  of 
New  Amstel  was  11,018  florins  per  annum. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A.  D.  1659, 

Ravages  of  fever  at  New  Amstel — Death  of  Alrick1  s  wife — Despond 
ing  letter  of  Alrick — West  India  Company  suspicious  of  the 
Swedes — Disapproves  of  their  arming  and  appointing  their  officers 
—Wish  them  settled  among  the  Dutch — Alterations  of  the  agree 
ment  with  settlers  emigrating — Consternation  and  dismay  of  the 
Colonists  thereat — Emigration  to  Maryland  and  Virginia — Sickness 
and  bad  harvests  at  New.  Amstel — Scarcity  of  food — Provisions 
shipped  for  New  Amstel  ran  away  with — Deaths  among  the  citi 
zens — Purchase  of  land  between  Bombay  Hook  and  Iloernkiln — 
Swedish  minister  forbid  to  preach — Descriptions  of  settlers  of  New 
Amstel — First  elders  and  deacons — Dutch  soldiers  desert  to  Mary 
land — Council  of  New  Amstel  request  Marylanders  to  return 
them — Baltimore  claims  South  river — Utie  sent  by  Maryland  to 
demand  it — Letter  from  Josiah  Fendall,  the  Governor — Continued 
flight  to  Maryland  and  Virginia  of  settlers  and  soldiers — Stuyves- 
sant  disapproves  of  Alrick' s  course — Arrival  of  Utie  at  New  Am 
stel — Demands  the  South  river — Answer  of  Alricks  and  Beekman — 
Utie's  threats — Firm  and  conciliatory  answer  of  the  Dutch — Infor 
mation  sent  to  Stuyvessant — He  blames  Alricks  and  Beekman  for 
not  arresting  Utie  as  a  spy — Appoints  Martin  Krygier  and  Van 
Kuyven  to  regulate  affairs  on  South  river — Krygier  appointed  Cap 
tain  of  the  troops — Sixty  soldiers  sent  from  Manhattan — Com 
manded  to  arrest  Utie  as  a  spy — Augustus  Herman  and  Resolved 
Waklron  Ambassadors  to  Maryland — Their  instructions — Arrival 
of  Van  Ruyven  and  Krygier  at  South  river — They  censure  Alricks 
— Report  of  the  deplorable  condition  of  New  Amstel — Tyranny  of 
Alricks — Citizens  refuse  to  enlist  under  him — Manhattan  dissatis 
fied  at  sending  soldiers  to  defend  New  Amstel — Complain  of  the 
number  at  the  Whorekills — Directors  in  Holland  disapprove  of 
Alrick' s  conduct — Think  it  will  ruin  the  colony — Again  recommend 
disarming  the  Swedes,  and  compelling  them  to  reside  among  the 
Dutch. 


304  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

pi  proi  THE  unfortunate  town  of  New  Amstel  still 
suffered  from  the  ravages  of  the  fall  fever,  and 
to  add  to  the  misfortunes  of  Alricks,  his  wife  died  from 
the  disease.  In  a  letter  describing  the  distressing  con 
dition  of  affairs,  he  said,  "  Winter  early  and  long,  and 
unexpected,  caused  great  distress ;  the  previously 
long  continued  rains  prevented  the  collection  of  fod 
der  for  the  creatures,  and  continued  sickness  curbed 
us  all  so  far  down,  that  all  the  labor  in  the  field  and 
agriculture  was  abandoned ;  the  guns  are  rusty,  not 
having  any  proper  place  to  keep  them  in.  One  rea 
son  for  the  want  of  victuals  is  that  the  lands  are  new. 
I  did  see  from  the  first,  that  from  the  New  Nether 
lands  settlers,  who  actually  resided  here  at  our  arri 
val,  scarce  one  obtained  during  our  residence  one 
schepel  of  grain ;  those  who  came  with  us  hither,  or 
emigrated  afterwards  to  this  place,  did  not  much  more, 
nor  could  effect  anything  better,  as  the  time  in  the 
first  year  was  spent  in  building  houses  and  making 
gardens,  in  which  small  compass  of  garden  each  indi 
vidual,  as  well  in  clearing  soil,  in  building  and  carry 
ing  the  materials,  was  so  busily  engaged  that  the 
summer  was  passed  without  having  sown  much  seed 
in  the  ground ;  beside  this,  was  then  obstructed  by 
the  general  prevailing  sickness  during  two  successive 
years,  while  the  immoderate  hot  weather  was  another 
impediment."1 

The  desire  of  the  Swedes  to  remain  neutral  in  case 
of  a  war  between  Holland  and  Sweden,  appears  to 
have  excited  the  distrust  of  the  West  India  Coni- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  12,  pp.  480,  483. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  305 

pany.  Accordingly,  on  the  13th  of  February,  they 
wrote  to  Stuyvessant  approving  of  all  his  orders  ex 
cept  the  appointment  of  Swedish  officers.  They  said 
'•the  Swedes  were  not  to  be  trusted."  They  told 
him  "that  it  would  have  been  preferable  to  have  dis 
armed  the  whole  nation,  than  to  provide  them  with 
officers,  and  place  arms  in  their  hands  which  they 
might  use  against  them,  not  only  by  the  arrival  of 
any  Swedish  succor,  but  on  any  other  occasion." 
They  told  him  "  not  only  to  remove  the  Swedish 
officers,  and  replace  them  with  Dutch  officers,  but  on 
the  first  favorable  opportunity,  to  disarm  them  at  the 
least  symptom  of  disaffection."  He  was  also  in 
structed  to  endeavor  to  separate  them,  and  induce 
them  to  settle  amongst  the  Dutch  inhabitants;  and 
to  admonish  Alrick  from  time  to  time  of  his  duty, 
and  particularly  to  assist  Beekman,  who  was  con 
tinued  custom-house  officer  and  auditor  of  the  colony 
of  the  city  on  the  South  river.1 

At  this  time  there  were  several  alterations  made  in 
the  conditions  upon  which  the  colonists  had  agreed  to 
emigrate,  by  the  Burgomasters  of  the  city  of  Amster 
dam. 

The  principles  were  as  follows  : 

Provisions  were  only  to  be  distributed  from  the 
public  magazines,  amongst  those  who  had  left  Hol 
land  prior  to  December  1658.  Merchandize  was  to 
be  sold  only  for  cash,  and  the  city  of  Amsterdam  was 
no  longer  obliged  to  keep  supplies  in  their  magazines. 
Exemptions  from  tenths,  instead  of  continuing  for 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  4,  pp.  291,  292. 
20 


306  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

twenty  years,  were  to  cease  in  1678;  and  poundage, 
horn  and  salt  money,  ten  years  earlier  than  stipu 
lated,  "when  taxes  were  to  be  imposed  by  the 
director  according  as  the  enclosed  lands  are  situated 
near  or  at  a  distance."  Goods  in  future  were  to  be 
consigned  exclusively  to  the  city  of  Amsterdam, 
whereas  the  West  India  Company  allowed  all  traders 
on  South  river  to  export  whatever  they  pleased,  ex 
cept  beavers  and  peltry,  the  monopoly  of  which  was 
still  retained  by  the  city. 

The  promulgations  of  these  new  regulations  caused 
intense  consternation  and  dissatisfaction  amongst  the 
citizens  of  New  Amstel,  and  this  was  not  a  little  in 
creased  by  the  alleged  tyranny  of  Alricks.  A  writer 
describing  the  effect  it  had  upon  the  citizens  of  New 
Amstel  at  the  time,  says  : 

"Many  poor  folks,  whilst  they  had  anything  left 
wherewith  to  pay  for  their  passage,  had  offered  it  to 
Alricks,  and  besought  him  with  clasped  hands  to  ac 
cept  it  in  payment  for  their  debts,  but  he  declined, 
saying,  'Ye  are  bound  to  remain  four  years.'  'We 
have  spent  in  our  hunger  and  wretchedness  and  mis 
ery  all  that  we  hove  saved  from  our  small  pittance. 
We  have  nothing  left  wherewith  to  pay,'  was  their 
reply.  '  You  must  pay  first,  and  then  go,'  was  the 
answer  of  Alricks." 

Numbers  fled  to  Virginia  and  Maryland,  where 
they  spread  the  news  of  the  weak  and  desperate 
condition  of  New  Amstel.1 

Stuyvessant,  in  a  letter  dated  4th  of  September, 

1  O'Call.  vol.  2,  p.  376,  377. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  307 

complains  of   this  conduct   of   Alricks    to    the  com 
pany. 

The  following  fragment  of  a  letter  from  Alricks  to 
Stuyvessant,  show  some  of  the  causes  operating 
against  the  colony  of  New  Amstel.  He  says  : 

u  That  prevailing  violent  sickness,  which  wasted  a 
vast  deal  of  goods  and  blood  from  one  year  to  an 
other,  arid  which  not  only  raged  here,  but  everywhere 
throughout  this  province,  and  which  consequently  re 
tarded  not  only  our  progress  in  agriculture,  but  threw 
a  damp  over  the  other  undertakings.  Besides  that, 
in  the  ship  'Mill,'  which  only  lately  arrived,  a  very 
short  time  before  the  severe  cold  weather,  were  em 
barked  more  than  two  hundred  souls,  besides  those 
who  last  spring  arrived,  and  bringing,  as  ap 
peared  by  the. lists,  about  five  hundred  souls,  without 
bringing  any  victuals  with  them,  which  baffles  in  this 
respect  all  our  measures.  It  is  true  that  we  received 
by  said  ship  a  small  cargo,  about  3000  guilders  worth 
for  the  purchase  of  victuals.  The  ship  Mill  arriving 
late,  the  harvest,  by  the  unfavorable  season  being 
collected  late,  the  little  grain  that  was  not  drowned 
by  the  heavy  incessant  rains,  but  remained  stifled  in 
its  growth,  was  sold  at  such  excessive  prices  that  it 
often  could  not  be  purchased  where  it  was  necessa 
rily  wanted.  We  were  not  permitted  to  go  to  Vir 
ginia,  nor  to  the  Xorth,  so  that  our  bread  magazine, 
our  pantry  room,  our  only  refuge  is  to  Manhattan." 

Alricks  despatched  a  galliott  to  Manhattan  for  food, 
but  it  was  frozen  up.  A  supply,  however,  Avas  sent  by 
Stuyvessant  in  the  yacht  Brigantine,  consisting  of 


308  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

pork,  beef  and  maize,  but  she  was  run  away  with  by 
her  captain,  Lumis  Obbes,  and  the  supply  never 
reached  the  suffering  colonists  at  New  Amstel.  Obbes 
went  privateering.  In  the  meantime  the  sickness 
still  raged  there.  Alricks  in  his  letter  says,  "sick 
ness  and  death  pressed  upon  us  with  such  unabated 
violence,  that  a  large  number  of  men,  and  not  a  small 
number  of  our  cattle  perished."1 

Agreeable  to  instruction,  Beekman  purchased  from 
the  savages  the  land  from  Bombay  Hook  to  Cape 
Henlopen,  named  the  Hoernkill.  He  departed  for 
that  purpose  in  company  with  D'Hinoyossa,  on  the 
24th  of  May,  and  by  the  14th  of  June  had  succeeded 
in  completeing  the  purchase  from  the  Indians.  This 
was  the  third  time  that  the  Indians  had  sold  the 
most  of  this  land.  They  had  first  disposed  of  it  to 
Godyn  and  Blommaert,  and  it  wras  under  the  title  from 
this  sale  that  the  settlement  was  made  by  the  unfor 
tunate  first  settlers  of  Delaware,  who  were  massacred 
at  Lewistown.  They  then  sold  it  to  the  Swedes,  and 
now  they  again  sold  it  to  Beekman  and  D'Hinno- 
yossa. 

About  this  time  one  of  the  Swedish  ministers  at 
tempted  to  preach  in  the  City's  Colony — in  the  town 
of  New7  Amstel.  The  commissioners -of  the  colony 
would  not  permit  this  on  account  of  the  difference 
between  the  religious  faiths  of  the  Dutch  and  Swedes. 
In  a  letter  to  Alricks  they  say :  "  The  bold  under 
taking  of  the  Swedish  parson  to  preach  in  the  colony 
without  permission  does  not  greatly  please  us.  No 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  12,  pp.  484?  485. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  309 

other  religion  but  the  reformed,  can  or  may  be  toler 
ated  there,  so  you  must  by  proper  means  put  an  end 
to,  or  prevent  such  presumption  on  the  part  of  other 
sectaries."1 

In  a  letter  dated  August  16th,  to  the  Commission 
ers  at  Amsterdam,  Alricks  gives  the  following  unflat 
tering  account  of  the  settlers  at  New  Amstel: 

"In  the  Prince  Maurice,"  said  he,  "'were  35  colo 
nists,  free  handicraft's  men,  amongst  them  some  work 
men,  but  the  major  part  tradesmen,  who  did  not  learn 
their  trades  very  well,  and  ran  awray  from  their  mas 
ters  too  early,  in  consequence  of  their  own  vicious- 
ness.  Also  47  soldiers,  10  civil  servants,  76  women, 
children  and  maid  servants.  Those  who  arrived  in  the 
vessels  De  Waig,  De  Sonne,  De  Meulen,  were  of  no 
good  repute,  scarcely  three  good  farmers  among  the 
whole  lot.  The  total  was  137  tradesmen  and  ser 
vants,  70  soldiers  and  civil  servants,  300  women  and 
children,  and  the  maid  servants  of  the  married  women 
and  children,  &c.,  who  came  here  as  single  women." 

Alricks  objected  to  this  description  of  colonists, 
and  desired  "  stout  growing  farm  servants,"  and  that 
the  "  women  and  children  be  omitted  for  the  present, 
as  agriculture  could  not  be  advanced  without  good 
farmers  and  strong  laboring  men."2 

Two  elders  and  two  deacons  were  elected  at  this 
time  in  New  Amstel.  These  were  the  first  elders  or 
deacons  we  have  any  account  of  in  this  State.3 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Calligan,  vol.  2,  p.  61. 

2  X.  Y.  Doc. ;  Broadhead  and  O'Calligan,  vol.  2,  pp.  68-71. 

3  Ibid. 


310  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

The  Dutch  were  now  alarmed  by  the  encroach 
ments  of  the  English  from  a  new  quarter.  Hereto 
fore  their  trouble  was  from  the  English  of  New 
Haven.  It  was  now  to  commence  with  the  English 
from  Maryland.  Amongst  the  many  Dutch  that  had 
fled  from  New  Amstel  to  Maryland,  were  six  soldiers, 
who  had  deserted  from  the  Dutch  service.  The  Coun 
cil  of  New  Amstel  held  a  meeting  on  the  20th  of 
June  at  which  it  was  resolved  to  request  Josiah  Een- 
dall,  the  Governor  of  Maryland,  to  send  these  sol 
diers  back.  Being  ignorant  of  the  governor's  address, 
on  the  25th  of  June  they  sent  the  letter  to  Colonel 
Nathaniel  Utie,  (called  by  the  Dutch  Jude  IT  tie), 
who  was  the  chief  of  the  Maryland  magistrates,  who 
resided,  according  to  Dutch  accounts,  on  Bearson 
Island,  and  solicited  him  to  forward  the  letter.  This 
Utie  agreed  to  do,  but  at  the  same  time  informed  the 
messenger  that  he  had  a  "  commission  in  his  house  to 
go  to  New  Amstel,"  but  that  "in  the  meantime  Lord 
Baltimore  had  arrived,  and  had  commanded  that  the 
lands  between  the  degrees  of  his  grant  should  be  re 
viewed  and  surveyed,  and  when  ascertained,  be  re 
duced  under  his  jurisdiction,  without  the  intention 
of  abandoning  any  part  of  it." 

This  being  reported  at  New  Amstel,  together  with 
the  rumor  that  intruders  on  Baltimore's  land  were  to 
be  warned  off,  caused  great  anxiety  amongst  the  in 
habitants.  Business  operations  were  discontinued, 
and  many  prepared  for  flight.1 

In  accordance   with   this   determination   of   Balti- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  13,  p.  49S. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  311 

more,  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  Maryland  was  held 
on  the  3d  of  August,  (old  style),  at  Anne  Arundel. 
Those  present  were  Josiah  Fendall,  the  governor, 
Philip  Calvert.  brother  to  Lord  Baltimore,  the  Secre 
tary,  Col.  Utie  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd.  According 
to  the  minutes  of  the  Council,  "  Then  was  taken  into 
consideration  his  Lordship's  instruction  and  command 
to  send  to  the  Dutch,  in  Delaware  Bay,  seated  within 
his  Lordship's  province,  to  command  them  to  be  gone, 
and  ordered  that  Colonel  Nathaniel  Utie  do  make  his 
repair  to  the  pretended  governor  of  a  people  seated 
in  Delaware  Bay,  within  his  Lordship's  province,  and 
that  he  do  give  them  to  understand  that  they  are 
seated  within  his  Lordship's  province,  without  notice 
given  to  his  Lordship's  lieutenant  here,  and  require 
them  to  depart  the  province." 

"  That  in  case  he  find  an  opportunity,  he  insinuate 
into  the  people  there  seated,  that  in  case  they  make 
their  application  to  his  Lordship's  governor  here, 
they  shall  find  good  conditions,  according  to  the  con 
ditions  of  plantations  granted  to  all  comers  into  this 
province,  which  shall  be  made  good  to  them,  and  that 
they  shall  have  protection  in  their  lives,  liberty  and 
estates  which  they  shall  bring  with  them. 

(Signed)  PHILIP  CALVERT." 

The  following  letter  was  addressed  to  the '"Com 
mander  of  the  people  on  Delaware  Bay."  From  the 
tenor  of  it,  it  would  appear  to  be  in  reply  to  one 
written  to  the  governor  by  Alricks ;  the  date  of 
neither  is* given.  But  by  the  records  of  Maryland  it 
is  inserted  under  the  proceedings  of  August  3d — it 


312  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

was,  more  than  probable,  written  on  that  date.  It 
says : 

«  SIR  : — I  received  a  letter  from  you,  directed  to 
me  as  the  Lord  Baltimore's  Governor  arid  Lieutenant 
of  the  Province  of  Maryland,  wherein  you  suppose 
yourself  to  be  the  governor  of  a  people  seated  in  a 
part  of  Delaware  Bay,  which  I  am  very  well  informed 
lieth  to  the  southward  of  the  degree  of  forty,  and 
therefore  can  by  no  means  own  or  acknowledge  any 
for  governor  there  but  myself,  who  am  by  his  Lord 
ship  appointed  lieutenant  of  the  whole  province  lying 
between  these  degrees,  38  and  40,  but  do  by  these 
require  and  command  you  to  presently  to  depart  north 
of  his  Lordship's  province,  or  otherwise  desire  you 
to  hold  me  excused  if  I  use  my  utmost  endeavor  to 
reduce  that  part  of  his  Lordship's  province  unto  its 
due  obedience  under  him."1 

In  the  meantime,  the  affairs  of  New  Amstel  were 
so  badly  managed  by  Alricks,  and  his  strictness,  or 
rather  tyranny,  so  great,  that  numbers  of  the  inhabi 
tants  deserted  the  colony  and  fled  to  Maryland  and 
Virginia. 

The  captain  of  an  English  ketch  that  had  sailed 
from  Boston  with  provisions,  informed  Stuyvessant 
that  fifty  persons,  amongst  whom  were  several  fami 
lies,  had  removed  from  New  Amstel  to  Maryland  and 
Virginia  within  a  fortnight.  Alricks  even  endea 
vored  to  get  Stuyvessant  to  return  those  who  fled 
from  New  Amstel  to  Manhattan ;  he  was  not  even 
willing  to  accept  pay  and  security  for  what  they  owed 

1  Maryland  Records,  Council,  &c.,  II.  H.,  1656  to  1668,  p.  43. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  313 

the  city  of  Amsterdam,  but  insisted  on  their  return. 
Stuyvessant  in  his  letters  to  Holland  severely  cen 
sured  this  conduct  of  Alricks,  and  refused  to  return 
the  fugitives.1 

la  the  meantime,  the  desertions  from  the  unfortu 
nate  colony  of  New  Amstel  to  Maryland  and  Virgi 
nia  still  continued,  until  scarce  thirty  families  re 
mained.  Of  the  fifty  soldiers  originally  sent  there, 
nearly  one-half  deserted,  and  only  about  eight  or  ten 
of  them  Were  garrisoned  at  New  Amstel.  The  rest 
were  sent  to  the  Hoernkill.  Thus,  as  Stuyvessant 
said,  "  leaving  them  in  fear  and  peril  of  being  massa- 
sacred  by  the  cruel  savages."2 

Whilst  the  City's  Colony  was  in  this  trouble,  both 
soldiers  and  citizens  deserting,  Baltimore  sent  mes 
sengers  demanding  that  the  Dutch  should  abandon 
their  settlement  and  jurisdiction  on  the  South  river, 
as  they  were  within  the  limits  of  his  grant,  between 
the  38th  and  40th  degree  of  north  latitude.  The 
embassy  was  composed  of  six  persons,  viz. :  Colonel 
Nathaniel  Utie,  his  brother,  his  cousin,  Major  Jacob 
De  Vrientz,  and  a  servant.  They  brought  with  them 
four  fugitives,  of  whom  three  were  apprehended  and 
one  escaped.  They  arrived  at  New  Amstel  on  Satur 
day,  the  6th  of  September,  and  demanded  an  audi 
ence  on  the  following  Wednesday,  which  was  con 
sented  to.  At  this  meeting  both  Alricks  and  Beek- 
man  were  present. 

Utie  first  delivered  his  letter  to  Alricks,  and  then  a 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  18,  pp.  28-29.         2  Ibid,  p.  445. 


314  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

copy  of  his  instructions  and  his  orders  from  the  Govern 
or  of  Maryland.  He  told  them  that  the  South  river  was 
in  Baltimore's  jurisdiction,  and  commanded  the  Dutch 
"  to  leave  it  directly,  or  declare  themselves  subject  to 
Lord  Baltimore."  He  also  told  them  that  if  they 
"  hesitated  to  resolve  upon  it  voluntarily  he  deemed 
himself  not  responsible  for  the  innocent  blood  that 
might  be  shed  on  that  account." 

The  Dutch  answered  that  his  "  communication  ap 
peared  very  strange  in  every  respect,  as  they  had 
been  in  possession  of  the  land  so  many  years,  as  well 
by  an  octoroy  of  the  State  General  and  the  Directors  of 
the  West  India  Company,  which  they  had  previously 
obtained." 

Utie  replied  that  "he  knew  nothing  about  that." 
That  "  the  land  was  granted  to  Lord  Baltimore,  and 
confirmed  by  the  King  himself,  and  renewed  two 
years  ago,  and  sanctioned  by  the  Parliament  to  the 
extent  of  forty  degrees."  Utie  then  repeated  again, 
"  that  he  was  innocent  of  the  blood  that  might  be 
shed,  as  Lord  Baltimore  was  invested  with  the  power 
of  making  war  or  peace  without  any  man's  control." 
He  also  said,  "  we  ought  to  take  hold  of  this  oppor 
tunity,  as  the  men  had  chiefly  deserted  New  Amstel, 
and  those  who  yet  remained  would  be  of  little  or  no 
aid."  He  declared  it  was  their  "  intention  to  take 
hold  of  this  occasion,  and  not  to  let  it  pass,"  convinced 
as  they  were  of  the  weakness  of  the  Dutch.  That 
"the  present  time  suited  them  the  best  of  the  whole 
year,  as  the  tobacco  was  chiefly  harvested."  Utie 
therefore  demanded  a  positive  answer,  intimating  at 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  315 

the  same  time  it  was  indifferent  to  him  how  "  they 
might  resolve." 

Alricks  and  Beekman  answered  that  they  "  could 
not  decide  the  case,  but  that  it  must  be  left  to  the 
lords  spiritual  and  temporal  in  Holland  and  Eng 
land." 

Utie  replied  that  he  did  "not  care  anything  about 
them." 

Alricks  and  Beekman  then- answered  that  they 
"  could  do  nothing  without  them,  and  were  in  duty 
bound  to  refer  the  case  to  Stuy  vcssant,  to  whose  gov 
ernment  they  were  subject,  and  that  it  would  require 
some  time  to  consult  him." 

Utie  asked  "what  time  would  be  required?" 

The  Dutch  proposed  three  weeks;  on  which  Utie 
said.  "I  have  no  orders  to  give  any  respite,  never 
theless,  I  will  give  you  the  required  time." 

On  the  9th,  Utie  was  again  summoned  to  the  fort 
to  receive  the  Dutch  answer  in  writing,  when  seeing 
Beekman,  he  addressed  him  particularly,  telling  him 
he  understood  that  he  "  was  commander  at  Christina, 
that  he  too  must  depart  from  there,  as  it  was  situated 
within  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude." 

Beekman  answered,  "  that  if  he  had  anything  to 
say  to  him,  he  ought  to  appear  at  the  place  of  his 
residence." 

Utie  replied,  "  I  think  it  is  sufficient,  at  all  events, 
that  I  have  made  you  this  communication." 

They  then  delivered  to  Utie  a  written  protest,  in 
w*hich  they  state  that  the  "  instructions"  (meaning  the 
letter  from  the  Council  held  at  Annapolis  on  the  3d 


316  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

of  August),  given  by  Josiah  Fendall,  Lieutenant  of 
Lord  Baltimore,  was  without  day,  date  or  place,  or 
where  it  should  have  been  written,  and  was  only 
signed  by  Philip  Calvert,  Secretary ;  that  all  related 
in  relation  to  the  alleged  claim  of  Baltimore  was  mi- 
authenticated,  by  a  single  document.  That  his  deck- 
ration  that  in  case  the  Dutch  refuse  immediately  to 
depart,  he  would  be  unaccountable  for  the  innocent 
blood  that  might  be  spilled,  appeared  to  them  as  '"un 
expected  and  strange  treatment"  by  Christian  and 
Protestant  brethren,  and  near  neighbors,  with  whom 
they  desired  and  never  solicited  anything  than  a 
"  sincere  cultivation  of  harmony  and  friendship;"  that 
they  yet  desire  may  be  uninterrupted.  They  there 
fore  requested  at  least  an  extract  from  the  deeds  and 
documents  in  relation  to  Baltimore's  claim.  In  it  they 
offered  to  show  their  title  by  grant  from  the  State 
General,  by  transfer  from  the  West  India  Company, 
and  by  payment  made  for  the  land  and  its  actual 
possession.  They  desire  that  the  differences  might 
be  settled  by  the  States  General  and  Parliament. 
They  also  protested  against  that  part  of  Title's  in 
structions  in  relation  to  ^  the  favorable  terms  and 
agreements  about  some  plantatations  to  the  inhabi 
tants."  They  complained  of  the  citizens  of  the  South 
river  being  lured  away  to  Maryland  by  promises  of 
"  protection  and  much  liberty,"  some  of  whom  were 
bound  to  their  "lords  and  masters  by  oaths,  and 
others  who  were  in  debt  for  considerable  sums,  by 
which  their  lords  and  masters  are  disappointed,  aifd 
were  frustrated  to  recover  their  debts."  They  pro- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  317 

tested  also  against  the  losses  and  damages  they  had 
already  suffered,  and  might  thereafter  sustain,  with  a 
view  of  recovering  compensation  for  such  injuries 
thereafter.  They  also  pointed  to  the  treaty  of  alli 
ance  concluded  on  the  5th  of  April,  1654,  between 
England  and  Holland,  as  well  in  America  as  Europe, 
"  whereby  they  were  charged  and  recommended  to 
commit  no  hurt,  hostility  or  injury  against  one  an 
other,  as  expressed  by  the  loth  article." 

This  protest1  was  signed  by  the  Director  Generals 
or  Governors  Alricks  and  Beekman,  and  by  the  Coun 
cil  and  Schepens,  viz. :  Alexander  D'Hinoyossa,  John 
Williemsen,  John  Crato  and  Hendrick  Hipp,  and  by 
Secretary  G.  Yansweringen. 

Immediate  information  was  sent  to  Stuyvessant, 
overland,  through  the  present  State  of  New  Jersey, 
of  this  visit  and  the  demands  of  Utie,  who  in  a  letter 
dated  the  23d  of  September,  expressed  his  displea 
sure  at  wThat  he  termed  "  the  frivolous  fabricated  in 
structions,  without  date  or  place"  of  Nathaniel  Utie, 
and  the  "  not  less  frivolous  answers  and  proceedings 
with  him,  of  the  Governors  and  Council  of  Altona  and 
New  Arnstel."  He  blamed  them  for  allowing  Utie  "  to 
sow,"  what  he  termed,  "  his  seditious  and  mutinous 
seed  among  the  community,"  during  four  or  five  days. 
Also  for  "  for  agreeing  to  give  him  an  answer  within 
three  weeks,  on  his  threatening  expressions.  This," 
Stuyvessant  told  them,  "  showed  unquestionable 
proofs  on  their  part  of  a  want  of  prudence  and 

1  Sec  protest  in  full,  in  Albany  Records,  vol.  13  ;  Hazard's  Annals, 
p.  265  ;  Holl.  Doc.  vol.  10,  p.  117. 


318  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

courage."  He  informed  them  they  should  '•  have  ap 
prehended  Utie  as  a  spy,"  and  to  show  his  want  of 
confidence  in  them,  appointed  Captain  Martin  Kry- 
gier,  a  Burgomaster  of  New  Amsterdam,  and  Corne 
lius  Van  Ruyven,  his  Secretary,  to  "  dispose  of  and 
regulate  the  affairs"  on  South  river,  in  relation  to  the 
proceedings  of  Baltimore  and  Utie.  He  also  ap 
pointed  Krygier  commander  of  all  the  militia  and  sol 
diers  on  South  river,  and  sent  with  him  a  reinforce 
ment  of  sixty  soldiers,  to  assist  in  protecting  the 
Dutch  settlements  on  the  South  river  from  invasion 
from  Maryland.  He  also  instructed  them  if  Utie  or 
any  one  else  came  back  "for  an  answer  for  his  frivo 
lous  demand,  or  frivolous  signed  promise,  (such  were 
the  words  of  Stuyvessant),  they  were  to  arrest  him 
as  a  spf/y  as  not  being  entitled  to  an  answer."  unless 
"  he  exhibited  a  due  qualification  of  a  State  Parlia 
ment  or  lawfully  established  government/'  and  in  the 
meantime  hold  him  as  a  hostage  until  the  Dutch  might 
be  acquainted  (in  the  language  of  Stuyvessant),  as 
to  "  where,  how,  and  on  whom"  they  might  "  take 
satisfaction  for  the  cost  and  expenses  they  had  already 
been  at,  or  yet  to  be  at,  in  the  maintainance  and  de 
fence  of  their  own."1 

At  the  same  time  two  commissioners  or  ambassa 
dors  were  appointed  to  visit  the  Governor  of  Mary 
land.  They  were  Augustine  Hermans  and  Resolved 
Waldron.  Herman  (or  Harman,  as  the  name  was 
afterwards  changed  to),  was  the  first  proprietor  of  the 

1  A.  P.  MSS.  in  lleg.  of  Perm.  vol.  4,  p.  1)8  :  Hazard's  Annals,  im. 

207,  208. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  319 

celebrated  Bohemia  Manor,  consisting  of  eighteen 
thousand  acres  of  land,  which  lays  partly  in  St. 
Georges  and  Pencader  hundreds,  in  New  Castle 
county,  and  partly  in  Cecil  county,  Maryland.  This 
land  is  supposed  to  be  the  best  in  Delaware.  Her 
man1  (from  who  in  is  descended  several  of  the  most 
celebrated  families  of  this  State,  some  of  whom  still 
possess  the  land,  derived  by  descent  from  him),  was 
originally  from  Bohemia,  and  when  he  came  to  New 
Amsterdam  was  clerk  to  John  and  Charles  Gabry,  of 
Amsterdam,  in  Holland.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
ability,  and  amongst  his  other  qualifications,  was  a 
good  surveyor  and  draughtsman. 

In  1647  he  was  appointed  by  the  Director  and 
Council  of  New  Netherlands,  one  of  the  nine  men,  a 
body  of  citizens  selected  to  assist  the  government  by 
their  counsel  and  advice.  His  first  wife  was  Jan- 
neken  Verlett,  of  Utrecht,  whom  he  married  in  New 
Amsterdam,  December  19,  1650.  He  was  formerly 
opposed  to  Stuyvessant  in  the  disputes  that  divided 
New  Netherlands. 

Adrian  Van  Tienhoven,  on  the  contrary,  formerly 
Secretary  of  the  Colony  on  the  South  river,  was  a 
firm  supporter  of  Stuyvessant,  whilst  Herman  and 
Van  Dincklage,  Govert  Lockerman  Van  Derdonk, 
and  others,  formed  a  combination  against  him.  Her 
man  and  Van  Dincklage  wrote  several  letters  to 
Holland,  severely  condemning  his  conduct,  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  one  of  Herman's 

1  A  more  full  account  of  him  will  bo  found  in  the  following  por 
tions  of  the  history. 


320  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

to  Van  Derdonk,1  yet  extant,  dated   September  20, 
1651: 

"  Govert  Lockerman  is  totally  ruined,  because  he 
will  not  sign  that  'he  knows  and  can  say  nothing  of  Di 
rector  Stuyvessant  but  what  is  honest  and  honorable.' 
I  fear  we  too  shall  experience  a  like  fate,  whether  we 
have  safeguard  from  their  High  Mightinesses  or  not. 
Tis  all  alike.  The  Directors  have  written  not  to  pay 
any  attention  to  their  High  Mightinesses'  safeguard 
or  letters,  but  to  theirs ;  and  every  one  can  see  how 
prejudicial  that  is  to  us.  We  are  turned  out,  and 
dare  scarcely  speak  a  word.  In  fine,  matters  are  so 
situated  that  God's  help  only  will  avail.  There  is  no 
trust  to  be  placed  in  man.  That  infernal  swaggerer 
(blassegust)  Tienhoven,  has  returned  here  and  put 
the  country  in  a  blaze.  Things  prosper,  they  report, 
according  to  their  wishes,  to  which  I  know  not  what 
to  answer,  &c.  The  basketmaker's  daughter,  of 
Amsterdam,  whom  he  seduced  in  Holland,  on  a  pro 
mise  of  marriage,  coming  and  finding  that  he  was 
already  married,  hath  exposed  his  conduct  even  in 
the  public  court.  Your  private  estate  is  going  all  to 
ruin,  for  our  enemies  know  how  to  fix  all  this,  and 
attain  their  object.  *  There  is  no  use  in'  complaining. 
We  must  suffer  injustice  for  justice.  At  present,  that 
is  our  wages  and  thanks  for  our  devotion  to  the  public 
interests.  Yet  we  will  trust  in  God."2 

1  Van  Derdonk  was  banished  from  the  Colon}'  for  seven  years,  for 
abusing  the  Directors. 

2  The   basketrnakers'    daughter   was    a    girl    named    Lisbeth  Van 
Hoogvclt,  whom  Tienhoven  debauched   and   lived   with  as  his  wife, 
whilst  in  the  Hague,  having  at  the  same  time  a  wife  in  New  Nether 
lands.     This  affair  cast  a  stain  on  the  character  of  Tienhoven. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  321 

Van  Dincklage  also  writing  to  Van  Derdonk  in  a 
letter  dated  the  19th  of  September,  1G51,  speaking 
of  Stuyvessant,  says  : 

"  Our  great  muscovy  duck  goes  on  as  usual  with  some 
thing  of  the  wolf.  The  older  he  gets,  the  more 
inclined  he  is  to  bite.  He  proceeds  no  longer  by 
words  and  writings,  but  by  arrest  and  stripes."1 

The  dissensions  of  which  the  above  letters  are  ex 
emplifications,  at  this  time  must  have  been  healed,  or 
Herman  would  never  been  appointed  to  the  respon 
sible  station  of  ambassador  by  Stuyvessant. 

Herman  and  Waldron  took  with  them  a  letter  from 
Stuyvessant  to  the  Governor  and  Council  of  Mary 
land,  in  which  he  expressed  his  astonishment  at  the 
arrival  of  Col.  Utie  at  New  Amstel,  and  the  demand 
for  the  South  river,  and  complained  greviously  of  his 
conduct  "in  threatening  the  government,  council  and 
inhabitants  of  that  place  with  blood,"  in  case  the  ter 
ritory  was  not  given  up  within  three  weeks ;  and 
also  of  his  "having  sought  to  alienate  and  induce  to 
rebellion  from  their  lawful  commander,  the  citizens  of 
New  Amstel."  He  at  the  same  time  instructed  the 
ambassadors  in  a  "friendly  and  neighborly  way"  to 
request  the  Governor  of  Maryland  to  deliver  up  to 
the  Dutch  "  such  free  people  and  servants  as  for  debt 
and  other  ways"  had  fled,  and  taken  refuge  in  Mary  land. 

If  this  was  done,  they  were  instructed  to  agree 
that  all  runaways  and  fugitives  from  Maryland,  or 
South  river,  should  also  be  delivered  up  to  the  Mary 
land  authorities,  and  that  they  would  in  every  way 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Calligari,  vol.  1,  p.  453. 
21 


322  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

"  maintain  good  justice  and  neighborly  duty."  If 
the  Governor  and  Council  of  Maryland  refused  this, 
the  ambassadors  were  to  inform  them  that  the  law  of 
retaliation  would  be  enforced,  and  that  they  in  return 
would  refuse  to  deliver  up  "all  servants  and  negroes 
that  might  escape  from  Maryland  to  the  South  river." 

In  relation  to  the  demand  made  for  the  surrender 
of  South  river,  through  Col.  Utie,  they  were  to  repre 
sent  that  "  threats  to  invade  by  way  of  hostility,  any 
possession  of  the  Dutch  on  South  river,  was  alto 
gether  contrary  to  the  2d,  3d  and  16th  articles  of  the 
confederacy  of  peace  made  between  the  Republic  of 
England  and  the  Netherlands  in  1654."1  That  the 
Dutch  had  had  possession  of  the  South  river  (by 
grant  from  the  Lords  State  General,  and  by  deeds 
of  the  natives),  for  over  forty  years.  That  by  these 
articles  of  the  treaty  between  England  and  Holland 
all  questions  in  dispute  were  to  be  referred  to  their 
decision.  The  ambassadors  were  therefore  by  virtue 
of  those  articles  of  peace  to  demand  of  the  Governor 
and  Council  of  Maryland  to  give  them  reparation  and 
damages  against  Nathaniel  Utie  for  his  "frivolous 
demands  and  bloody  threatenings." 

Van  Ryven  and  Krygier,  who  had  embarked  from 
Manhattan,  with  their  troops  in  three  barks,  on  the 
23d  of  September,  arrived  at  the  South  river,  oppo 
site  New  Amstel  on  the  28th.  They  found  the  peo 
ple  in  commotion  and  fear  respecting  the  threatened 

1  The  English  government  from  1649  to  1601  was  Republican  under 
the  rule  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  styled  the  Protector  of  the  Common 
wealth  of  England. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  323 

English  invasion.  Upon  examining  into  affairs,  they 
saw  much  to  condemn  in  the  conduct  of  Alricks. 
They  charged  him  as  the  cause  "of  all  the  misfor 
tunes  in  New  Amstel."  "  In  such  bad  name  is  this 
place,"  (New  Ainstel),  said  they,  "that  the  whole 
river  cannot  wash  it  out  off,  and  would  to  God  that 
it  remained  here,  and  that  it  was  not  openly  pro 
claimed  in  our  fatherland,  and  to  the  scorn  of  this 
whole  province."  They  denounced  him  for  oppress 
ing  the  people.  For  first  refusing  them  liberty  to 
leave  New  Amstel  when  they  offered  to  pay  the  debts 
they  owed  the  city,  but  insisting  on  their  remaining 
four  years,  and  afterward  when  their  money  was 
spent,  and  they  were  sick  and  hungry,  not  allowing 
them  to  leave  until  their  debt  to  the  city  was  satis 
fied.  It  was  reported  they  said,  "that  many  actually 
died  by  hunger."  So  unpopular  had  Alricks  become 
that  the  citizens  would  not  enlist  under  him  for  the 
defence  of  New  Amstel,  although  they  were  willing 
to  engage  under  Krygier.  And  when  Utie  was  there 
making  his  demand  for  its  surrender,  and  Beekman 
proposed  to  detain  him,  Alricks  declined  to  do  so,  for 
fear  of  a  revolt  of  the  citizens.  Van  Ryven  in 
writing  to  Alricks  afterwards,  charged  him  with 
making  no  effectual  means  to  enlist  men.  "  Did  one  of 
the  city  officers  stir  one  single  step  towards  this  ob 
ject?"  "Or  shall  it  be  urged  that  it  was  published 
by  beat  of  drum:  But  no  person  enlisted?"  wrote 
Van  Ryven.  "  It  was  known  beforehand  that  none 
could  be  obtained  in  this  manner,"  he  asserted,  "at 
least  not  from  the  inhabitants,  because  the  great  ma- 


324  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

jority  Avho  yet  remain  in  the  city's  service  are  dis 
satisfied  with  the  magistrates  of  this  colony,  for  what 
reason/'  says  Van  Ryven,"  "  must  be  best  known  to 
your  honor."  "  These  persons,"  said  he,  "  ought  to 
have  been  encouraged  by  favorable  terms  and  salary, 
as  is  the  usage  in  fatherland,  and  anywhere  else,  in 
such  great  distress."  At  this  time  the  Dutch,  in  ad 
dition  to  their  troubles  with  the  Marylanders,  ex 
pected  a  war  with  the  Indians  at  Manhattan,  and 
endeavored  to  get  Alricks  to  enlist  fifty  men. 
They  were  dissatisfied  at  taking  the  soldiers  from 
Manhattan  to  defend  New  Amstel,  which  they  thought 
should  be  able  to  defend  itself.  They  also  condemned 
the  sending  of  so  many  of  the  soldiers  to  Hoernkill. 

In  speaking  of  this  matter,  Van  Ry ven  in  a  letter 
to  Alricks  says  : 

"But  what  excuse  can  be  made  why  the  soldiers  on 
the  Hoernkills,  as  we  were  promised  last  September, 
were  not  commanded  to  march  hither  or  have  not 
arrived.  It  is  indeed  too  absurd,  that  the  Director  Gen 
eral  and  Council  should  believe  their  own  places  of 
far  greater  consequence  of  the  necessary  soldiers,  and 
send  them  hither  for  succor,  and  that  you  should  not 
send  for  your  own  soldiers,  but  leave  them  to  guard 
one  or  two  houses,  built  apparently  more  for  private 
views  than  for  the  welfare  of  the  country,  and  employ 
sixteen  or  eighteen  for  this  purpose."1 

The  Directors  of  the  West  India  Company  when 
they  heard  of  the  conduct  of  Alricks  in  relation  to 
the  oppression  at  New  Amstel,  expressed  their  dis 
approval  in  a  letter  to  Stuyvessant.  They  considered 

1  See  Van  Ry yen's  letter,  vol.  18,  p.  425,  426,  N.  Y.  Records. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  325 

"  it  a  symptom  which  threatened  a  total  ruin  of  the 
colony."  and  that  gave  no  prospect  of  a  return  for  the 
expenses  that  had  been  entered  into.  They  laid  the 
whole  to  the  "  too  rigid  preciseness"  of  Alricks,  in  not 
permitting  the  New  Arnstel  colonists  to  settle  at  Man 
hattan.  Stuyvessant  was  instructed  to  try  to  divert 
Alricks  from  "  this  plan  as  soon  as  possible."  He  was 
told  to  show  to  Alricks  that  "at  this  critical  moment 
it  would  be  far  preferable,  if  he  would  make  volun 
tarily  an  offer  to  the  remaining  creditors  to  settle  in  the 
Manhattans,  provided  they  gave  bonds  for  the  debts 
which  they  were  yet  owing."  In  "  this  case,"  say 
they,  "their  recovery  may  sooner  or  later  be  expected, 
which  is  utterly  hopeless  if  they  remove  from  the 
district  of  the  company,  and  settle  anywhere  else." 
He  was  also  instructed  not  to  compel  any  New  Am- 
stel  colonist  to  return  who  had  settled  at  Manhattan. 
Also  to  solicit  the  return  of  those  who  had  settled  in 
Virginia  and  other  neighboring  districts,  and  employ 
every  feasible  means  to  that  end.  They  also  informed 
him  that  they  persisted  in  the  sentiment  that  the 
Swedes  should  be  separated  one  from  another,  and  if 
possible  amalgamated  with  the  Dutch  nation,  and 
that  they  should  be  disarmed  at  the  earliest  opportu 
nity.  Stuyvessant  was  recommended  to  do  this  before 
they  (the  Swedes)  could  make  any  alliance  with  the 
English  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  Dutch.  The  pos 
sibility  of  this  alliance  appears  to  have  given  consid 
erable  uneasiness  both  to  Stuyvessant  and  the  Direc 
tors  in  Holland. 

The  Indians   about   this   time   killed   four  of   the 
Dutch  settlers.     On  this  account  Alricks  and  Beek 


326  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

man  had  great  difficulty  in  sending  information  of 
Baltimore's  threatened  invasion  to  Manhattan,  no  one 
being  willing  to  cross  through  New  Jersey  from  New 
Amstel  to  Manhattan  by  land. 

Alricks  in  a  letter  to  De  Graeff,  Burgomaster  of 
Amsterdam,  who  appears  to  have  had  the  main  charge 
of  the  affairs  of  the  City's  Colony  says  :  "  that  there 
were  one  hundred  and  ten  houses  in  New  Amstel,  and 
16  or  17  more  on  land  belonging  to  our  nation,  and 
13  or  14  belonging  to  the  Swedes."  He  does  not 
mention  whether  these  other  houses  are  situated  in 
the  City's  Colony,  or  the  Company's  Colony  of  Alto- 
na,  north  of  the  Christiana.  But  we  infer  from  the 
tenor  of  his  letter  that  he  means  that  this  number  of 
houses  were  in  New  Amstel  and  its  neighborhood 
alone.  As  he  intended  to  give  to  the  agent  of  the 
city  of  Amsterdam  a  description  of  their  property, 
and  not  of  that  of  the  Company.  He  is  incessant 
(in  his  letter  to  the  NewT  Amsterdam  Commissioners) 
in  his  demand  for  practical  fanners.  He  especially 
desired  20  or  25  families  of  good  agriculturists,  and 
30  or  40  cows  to  each  family.  The  cattle  he  recom 
mended  should  be  furnished  by  the  city  of  Amster 
dam,  to  be  kept  on  shares,  the  family  to  have  half, 
and  the  city  half.  He  describes  the  poods  as  most  in 
demand  at  New  Amstel,  as  duffels,  gray  osnaburgs, 
and  strong  liquors.  "  Clearing  lands,"  he  says,  "  fur 
nishes  considerable  employment  here.  Plowing,  sow 
ing,  mowing  and  thrashing,  requiring  strong  people, 
accustomed  to  labor,  most  of  whom  should,  as  far  as 
possible  be  men."1 

^roadhcad  and  O'Calligan,  N.  Y.  Doc.  p.  76,  78,  vol.  2. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

FROM  1659  TO  1660. 

Herman  and  Waldron  leave  as  Ambassadors  to  Maryland — Difficul 
ties  in  their  way — Threatened  by  two  Fins — Stop  at  Capt.  Wick's 
plantation — Are  informed  that  the  English  believe  the  Dutch  in 
cited  the  Indians  to  murder  them — Visit  Secretary  Calvert — Con 
versation  with  Calvert  on  English  and  Dutch  rights — Meet  Gov 
ernor  Fendall  and  Maryland  Council — Claim  for  the  Dutch  the 
territory  between  the  38th  and  42d  degree  of  north  latitude — Re 
cite  the  Dutch  claim — Complain  of  Col.  Utie — Demand  return  of 
fugitives — Deny  claim  of  Maryland — Mary  landers  justify  Col. 
Utie — Persist  in  their  claim — Endorse  his  instructions — Mary- 
landers  claim  between  38  and  40  degrees  latitude — Extent  of  said 
claim — Warmth  of  Col.  Utie — Discussion  between  him  and  the 
Ambassadors — Marylanders  demand  to  see  the  Dutch  patent — 
They  have  not  got  it — The  mountain — The  Ambassadors  depart — 
Herman  goes  to  Virginia — Dutch  suspicious  of  plots — Beekman 
sick — Stuyvessant  fears  the  English — Urges  population — Disputes 
between  the  authorities  of  City  and  Company — Recrimination  be 
tween  them — Death  of  Alricks — D'llinnoyossa  appointed  his  suc 
cessor — Proposition  to  tax  the  Swedes. 

Ox  the  30th  of  September.  Herman  and  Waldron, 
the  ambassadors  appointed  by  Stuyvessant,  left  New 
Amstel  for  Maryland.  They  were  accompanied  by 
some  guides,  mostly  Indians,  and  convoyed  by  a  few 
soldiers.  They  travelled  by  land,  taking  the  first  day 
a  course  W.  N.  W.  from  New  Amstel.  They  con 
tinued  this  course  for  4i  Dutch  miles,  (about  13± 
English),  when  they  took  a  due  west  course,  and 
after  travelling  three  more  Dutch  miles,  the  Indians 
refusing  to  proceed  any  further,  encamped  for  the 


328  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

night.  On  the  1st  of  October  they  continued  their 
travel,  going  W.  by  S.,  and  then  again  directly  South. 
The  country  at  first  was  hilly,  and  then  low.  They 
soon  arrived  at  a  stream,  which  the  Indians  informed 
them  flowed  into  the  Bay  of  Virginia,  the  Chesapeake 
Bay.  They  followed  this  stream  until  they  found  a 
boat  hauled  upon  the  shore,  and  almost  dried  up. 
Dismissing  four  of  their  guides,  and  retaining  only  a 
man  named  Sandy  Boyer,  and  his  Indian,  they  pushed 
off,  but  were  soon  obliged  to  land  again,  as  the  boat 
became  full  of  water,  whereupon  they  turned  the  boat 
upside  down,  and  caulked  the  seams  with  old  linen. 
They  thus  made  it  a  little  tighter,  but  one  was  obliged 
to  sit  continually  and  bail  out  the  water.  Proceeding- 
down  this  stream,  they  soon  reached  the  Elk  river. 
Here  they  made  a  fire,  and  proceeded  with  the  evening 
tide,  but  with  great  trouble,  as  the  boat  had  neither 
rudder  nor  oars,  but  only  paddles.  Having  rowed 
all  night,  on  the  2d  of  October  they  reached  the  Sas 
safras  river,  and  stopped  at  the  plantation  of  a  man 
named  John  Turner.  Here  they  met  a  man  named 
Abraham,  (a  Fin),  a  soldier  of  Altona,  who  had  run 
away  with  a  Dutch  woman.  They  were  offered  a 
pardon  if  they  would  return  to  Manhattan  or  New 
Amstel  within  a  month.  The  woman  agreed  to  do 
this.  She  h:-d  three  months  of  her  time  to  serve — 
but  the  soldier  refused ;  he,  however,  made  two  oars 
for  them.  Here  they  set  Sandy  Boyer  on  shore  for 
information,  but  they  could  get  none,  as  the  only  in 
habitants  were  a  few  Fins  and  Swedes  who  had  de 
serted  from  the  South  river,  in  the  time  of  Governor 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  329 

Printz.  They  proceeded  onward,  but  had  scarcely 
left  the  shore  when  this  Abraham  and  another  Fin 
named  Marcus,  followed  them  in  a  canoe,  and  endea 
vored  to  stop  their  passage,  claiming  the  boat  as  their 
own.  Herman  and  Waldron  desired  to  proceed,  as 
suring  them  they  should  have  the  boat  on  their 
return ;  but  they  endeavored  to  stop  them  by  force, 
and  Marcus  drew  a  pocket  pistol,  and  threatened  to 
fire.  They  also  had  two  guns  with  them.  At  last, 
with  difficulty,  they  succeeded  in  getting  rid  of  them. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  Sassafras  they  came  to  Colonel 
U tie's,  where  they  heard  a  "strong  firing,"  supposed 
to  proceed  from  fifty  to  sixty  men.  They  supposed 
from  this  that  an  expedition  was  being  prepared  to 
visit  South  river.  On  the  3d  of  October  they  entered 
the  Chesapeake  B;iy,  and  in  the  evening  arrived  at 
the  plantation  of  Captain  Wicks,  one  of  the  three 
magistrates  of  Kent  Island.  Of  him  they  endeavored 
to  learn  whether  the  English  had  laid  any  regular 
plan  for  attacking  South  river.  Wicks  informed  them 
he  understood  "it  belonged  to  Lord  Baltimore,  and 
that  he  was  obliged  to  sustain  him  in  his  right  and 
title."  Herman  and  Waldron  endeavored  to  prove 
the  contrary,  and  informed  Wicks  that  "he  who  would 
have  it,  must  get  it  by  force.  That  the  Dutch  had 
already  sent  one  hundred  men  from  New  Amsterdam 
for  the  defence  of  South  river,  and  that  double  that 
number  were  soon  expected,"  but  they  hoped  to  be 
on  friendly  terms. 

The  Butch  here  learned  during  the  discussion  with 
Captain  Wicks  that  the  English   were   informed  that 


330  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

the  Dutch  at  Hoernkill  were  stirring  up  the  Indians 
in  the  war  they  were  then  engaged  in  against  the 
English.  That  it  took  place  thus  : 

"A  certain  savage  met  a  Dutchman  at  Whorekill,1 
and  told  him  he  would  kill  a  Dutchman,  because 
his  father  had  been  killed  by  a  Dutchman  before. 
To  which  the  Dutchman  replied  that  his  father  had 
been  killed  by  an  Englishman,  and  therefore  ought 
to  take  revenge  on  them.  On  which  the  savage  went 
off  and  killed  an  Englishman.  Thus  the  war,  said 
one  of  the  English,  was  aided  by  the  Dutch  in  sup 
plying  arms." 

Herman  at  first  denied  this,  and  then  palliated  it. 

Of  Captain  Wicks  the  embassy  procured  a  boat, 
and  sailing  down  the  Chesapeake,  on  the  7th  of  Oc 
tober  they  arrived  at  Secretary  Calvert's.  They  were 
quartered  in  the  neighborhood,  on  a  Mr.  Simon  Over- 
fee  or  Overzee. 

On  the  8th  of  October  they  invited  Calvert,  the 
Secretary,  to  dine  with  them,  when  they  had  a  familiar 
conversation  on  the  affairs  of  South  river  and  Mary 
land. 

Calvert  during  the  conversation  said  he  "wished 
happiness  to  Maryland  and  Manhattan." 

"  This,"  the  ambassadors  remarked,  "  included  the 
whole  land,  it  having  retained  its  ancient  name  from 
the  tribe  of  savages  among  whom  the  Dutch  made  a 
beginning  of  the  first  settlement." 

1  This  is  spelt  by  tho  Dutch  Iloernkill  and  Hoerkill.  When  giving 
Dutch  accounts,  we  shall  spell  it  in  the  former  way  ;  when  English 
the  latter. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  331 

Gradually  they  struck  on  the  point  of  the  limits, 
which  Calvert  said  of  Maryland,  was  "  between  38 
and  40  degrees  of  latitude  along  the  sea,  by  which 
Delaware  Bay  was  included,  and  then  in  a  direct  course 
to  Paman's  Island,  and  thence  to  the  origin  of  Poto 
mac  river." 

The  ambassadors  answered  the  38th  and  40th  de 
grees  ought  to  be  understood  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay 
upward,  and  then  the  colony  of  Virginia  reached,  the 
same  bay  to  the  sea. 

Calvert  replied  "  that  it  was  not  so ;  but  that  it 
ought  to  meet  the  limits  of  New  England."1 

"'Where,  then,"  exclaimed  Herman  and  Waldron, 
-'  would  remain  New  Netherlands,  if  their  limits  were 
to  join  New  England  ?" 

Calvert  answered,  "  he  did  not  know." 

The  ambassadors  then  said  that  they  "  knew  for 
both  of  them  together,  that  it  was  a  mistake,  and 
that  New  Netherlands  was  in  possession  of  those 
limits  several  years  before  Lord  Baltimore  obtained 
his  patent,  and  they  actually  settled  those  spots." 
The  ambassadors  further  alleged  that  "  Edmund  Ploy- 
den  had  in  former  clays  made  a  claim  to  Delaware 
Bay,  and  that  the  one  pretension  was  not  better  sup 
ported  than  the  other." 

To  this  Calvert  replied  "  that  Ployden  had  not 
obtained  a  commission,  and  was  in  England  thrown  in 

1  The  charter  for  New  England,  granted  in  1606,  called  originally 
for  all  thejand  between  the  41st  and  45th  degrees  of  latitude.  In 
1620  the  40th  degree  was  added,  thus  effectually  granting  away  all 
the  lands  settled  on  by  the  Dutch.  See  ante  pp.  89,  91. 


332  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

jail  for  his  debts.  That  Ploy  den  had  solicited  from 
the 'king  a  patent  for  New  Albion,  but  had  been  re 
fused, -on  which  he  addressed  the  Viceroy  of  Ireland, 
of  whom  he  obtained  a  patent,  but  that  was  of  no 
value  at  all." 

The  ambassadors,  to  use  their  own  words,  then 
said,  "On  this  we  entirely  confounded  him  with  his 
own  words,  by  saying  that  it  could  not  be  known  of 
my  Lord  Baltimore's  pretensions,  if  he  had  any  on 
the  Delaware  Bay,  had  obtained  these  by  false  or 
foreign  representations.  Neither  could  it  be  believed 
that  the  King  of  England,  who  once  took  notice  of 
the  Dutch  plantations  in  New  Netherlands,  and  who 
commanded  those  of  Virginia  and  New  England,  as 
we  could  prove  by  their  own  English  authors,  ex 
pressly  to  remain  at  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
leagues  from  one  another,  determining  nothing  about 
it.  It  was  therefore  an  unquestionable  proof  that  he 
might  reach  the  borders  of  New  England,  that  it  then 
was  void,  and  of  no  value  whatever." 

The  ambassadors  were  not  able  to  see  the  governor 
for  several  days,  and  accordingly  on  the  12th  of  Oc 
tober,  Calvert  was  again  invited  to  dine  with  them, 
when,  after  the  cloth  was  removed,  another  discussion 
took  place  as  to  the  relative  claims  of  the  Mary  land 
ers  and  Dutch  to  the  South  river.  Three  maps  were 
introduced.  One  printed  at  Amsterdam  by  direction 
of  Captain  Smith,  the  first  discoverer  of  the  Chesa 
peake  Bay ;  the  second  also  printed  at  Amsterdam, 
about  the  time  of  Baltimore's  patent.  The  other  was 
in  manuscript.  They  all  differed  from  each  other. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  333 

By  these  maps,  said  Herman,  "they  endeavored  to 
prove  Lord  Baltimore's  claim,  but  we  showed  that  the 
Bay  of  Chesapeake  being  so  much  to  the  northeast 
would  come  in  our  limits." 

"  How  can  that  be,  as  New  England  was  discovered 
first  ?"  exclaimed  Calvert. 

"  On  this."  says  Herman,  the  Dutch  alleged  "  they 
were  nearly  three  years  earlier  in  their  parts  than  the 
English  were  in  theirs." 

Calvert  replied,  "  they  counted  from  Walter  Ra 
leigh." 

'-  We,"    said    Herman,    "  derived    our    right   from 

C1  '          " 

bpain. 

Calvert  in  reply  said,  "  the  Dutch  were  then  not 
a  free  nation." 

"  Waxing  warm,"  said  Herman,  "  we  took  up  other 
subjects." 

The  ambassadors  stopped  at  Mr.  Overfees  until  the 
16th  of  October,  when  they  were  informed  that  Gov 
ernor  Fendall  would  meet  them  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Bateman,  at  Potusk.  Two  horses  were  sent  for  them. 
They  arrived  at  Mr.  Bateman's  about  3  or  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  They  were  courteously  received 
by  the  governor,  and  invited  to  dinner.  After  dinner 
the  governor  gave  them  an  audience.  Herman  was 
placed  on  the  left,  Secretary  Calvert  on  the  right; 
then  followed  Waldron  and  the  members  of  the  Coun 
cil,  who  consisted  of  Captain  William  Stone,  Thomas 
Gerrard,  Luke  Barber,  Colonel  Nathaniel  Utie,  Baker 
Brooke  and  Edward  Lloyd. 

The  ambassadors  then  made,  or  rather  read,  a  com- 


334  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

munication,  copies  of  which,  in  Dutch,  were  handed 
to  the  English,  and  afterwards  rendered  into  English 
by  Mr.  Over  fee. 

They  first  cited  their  claim  as  by  grant  from  the 
States  General  of  the  land  between  the  lines  of  lati 
tude  of  38  and  42  degrees.  The  extent  of  this  claim 
they  do  not  appear  to  have  been  aware  of.  But  it 
included  the  territory  at  present  comprised  in  the 
Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland,  the  State  of  Delaware, 
New  Jersey,  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island,  and  part 
of  New  York  and  Massachusetts,  including  the  cele 
brated  Plymouth  Rock,  the  landing  place  of  the  pil 
grims.  They  claimed  this  right  first  from  the  Spani 
ards  who  were  the  first  discoverers  of  America,  and 
of  whom  they  were  at  the  time  subjects,  and  who 
afterwards  they  alleged,  (when  Holland  separated  from 
Spain,  and  became  independent,)  "  granted  to  them 
amongst  other  territories,  that  at  present  called 
New  Netherlands,  now  also  secured  by  the  right  of 
possession  and  discovery."  After  reciting  the  various 
claims  of  the  English  and  French,  based  on  the  right 
of  discovery  (making,  however,  no  mention  of  Sebas 
tian  Cabot,  who  under  the  English  flag  was  the  first 
discoverer  of  the  continent),  they  asserted  that  the 
boundaries  of  the  possessions  of  the  Christian  Princes 
of  Europe,  were  "  by  communication  with  each  other's 
ambassadors  agreed  upon."  That  upon  this  agree 
ment  King  James  of  England,  "  commanded  and  re 
quired  that  Virginia  and  New  England  should  remain 
asunder  and  not  meet  together  within  the  space  of  a 
hundred  leagues,"  which  space  they  alleged  "was 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  335 

alloted  for  the  Dutch  plantations,  then  called  by  the 
general  name  of  Manhattans,  after  the  name  of  the 
Indians,  they  were  first  seated  by."  They  scouted 
the  idea  that  the  name  of  Manhattan  applied  only  to 
the  island  upon  which  New  Amsterdam  was  built. 
The  South  river,  they  alleged  was  in  the  primitive 
times  possessed  by  the  Dutch,  and  "  a  colony  planted 
on  the  western  shore,  within  the  mouth  of  the  South 
Cape,  called  Hoernkill."  That  they  "  built  there  a  little 
fort,  and  established  a  colony,  but  that  it  was  massa 
cred  by  the  Indians."  After  this,  in  1623,  they  "  built 
the  Fort  Nassau,  about  fifteen  leagues  up  the  river, 
on  the  eastern  shore,  besides  many  other  places  built 
by  the  Dutch,  and  the  Dutch  Swedes."  That  they 
"  thought  it  well  to  remove  Fort  Nassau  downwards  to 
the  western  shore,  and  there  to  fix  a  town,"  which 
they  asserted  "  stood  at  this  day,  no  man  ever  making 
any  protestor  claim  from  Maryland  or  Virginia  against 
it."  They  also  claimed  "  to  have  just  right  and  title 
to  the  South  river  by  lawful  purchase  from  the  In 
dians,  the  natural  proprietors  of  the  soil."  They  also 
alleged  that  from  the  "  primitive  time  aforesaid,  they 
had  always  held  friendly  and  neighborly  correspond 
ence  with  the  English  of  Maryland  and  Virginia, 
without  any  claim,  injury  or  molestation  to  one  an 
other,  until  the  8th  day  of  September,  when  Colonel 
Nathaniel  Utie  came  into  the  town  and  fort  of  New 
Amstel,  erected  in  the  year  1650,  and  without  any 
special  commission  or  lawful  authority  from  any  state, 
prince,  parliament  or  government,  exhibited  only  by 
a  piece  of  paper,  or  cartabel,  by  form  of  an  instruction 


336  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

from  Philip  Calvert,  Secretary,  written  without  year 
or  day,  name  or  place,  were  neither  signed  or  sealed 
by  any  state,  prince,  parliament  or  government,  de 
manded  in  a  manner,  and  required  in  a  strange  way, 
that  the  town  and  the  country  should  be  delivered  up 
to  the  province  of  Maryland,  as  he  said,  for  my 
Lord  Baltimore ;  going  from  house  to  house  to  seduce 
and  draw  the  inhabitants  to  rebel  and  fall  from  their 
right  and  lawful  lords,  and  threatening,  in  case  they 
did  not  submit  and  deliver  up  possession  of  New  Am- 
stel,  to  come  again  with  force  of  arms,  and  fire  and 
sword,  and  plunder  them,  and  take  their  houses  from 
them."  Against  this  the  ambassadors  protested. 

This  conduct  of  Utie  they  asserted  was  "  not 
only  against  the  law  of  nations,  neighborly  friendship 
and  common  equity,  but  also  contrary  to  articles  2,  3, 
5,  6,  9,  10  and  16,  of  the  treaty  of  1654,  between 
the  two  republics  of  England  and  the  United  Pro 
vinces.  By  the  conduct  of  the  said  Nathaniel  Utie, 
the  said  treaty  of  amity  and  peace  was  disturbed  and 
interrupted,  and  they  demanded  justice  and  satisfac 
tion  for  the  wrongs  and  damages  they  had  suffered 
and  might  suffer,  according  to  the  16th  article  of  the 
treaty." 

They  also  demanded  the  sending  back  "of  all  Swedes 
and  Dutch  subjects,  runaways  and  fugitives,  who 
from  time  to  time  (especially  the  year  1659)  had  ran 
away  from  the  South  river.  For  the  most  part,"  they 
said  "they  were  deeply  indebted  or  delinquents."  They 
declared  that  New  Netherlands  would  also  engage  to 
return  fugitives  which  might  come  into  her  jurisdic- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  337 

tion.  If  not  according  to  the  leges  faglionis  (or  law  of 
retaliation).  New  Netherlands  would  hold  itself  "con 
strained,  necessitated  and  excused  to  publish  free 
liberty,  access  and  recess  to  all  planters,  servants, 
negroes,  fugitives  and  runaways,  which  from  time  to 
time  might  come  into  her  jurisdiction." 

The  ambassadors  utterly  denied  that  Baltimore 
under  his  patent  had  any  right  to  South  river  whatever. 
They  asserted  they  had  had  possession  of  the  territory 
for  forty  years,  whilst  the  patent  of  Baltimore  was  of 
no  longer  standing  and  settlement  than  twenty-four 
or  twenty-seven  years.  That  he  had  not  even  as 
much  title  as  Sir  Edmund  Ployden.  That  even  if  he 
had  had  a  title  to  the  South  river,  according  to  the 
30th  article  of  the  treaty  between  England  and  Hol 
land,  he  should  have  made  his  claim  known  before 
the  18th  of  May,  1652,  to  the  commissioner  appointed 
by  both  England  and  Holland  to  determine  such  differ 
ences  as  might  have  occurred  between  the  year  1611 
and  the  18th  day  of  May,  1652.  In  proof  of  the  cor 
rectness  of  this,  they  stated  that  "New  England  having 
set  up  some  claims  to  South  river,  arid  the  ships  of  the 
Lords  Protector  (Cromwell)  having  been  sent  there 
to  subdue  the  province  of  New  Netherlands,  upon 
peace  being  concluded  between  Holland  and  England, 
the  design  of  the  conquest  of  New  Netherlands  was 
given  us,  and  the  ships  of  war  were  sent  against  the 
French."  They  also  said  that  their  "  western  limits  had 
been  questioned,  and  having  thereupon  observed  arid 
suspected,  the  Bay  of  Chesapeake,  in  the  uttermost 
part  therefore  winding  so  much  to  the  northeast  as  to 


338  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

run  about  Sassafras  and  Elk  river,  in  our  (their)  line, 
they  therefore  laid  claim  to  those  parts,  until  by  due 
examination  hereafter  the  truth  thereof  may  be  found 
out,  or  agreed  and  settled  amongst  us  (them)  otherwise." 
The  ambassadors  concluded  by  declaring  that  they 
never  meant  any  "  wrong  or  offence  to  the  provinces 
of  Virginia  or  Maryland,"  but  on  the  contrary,  still 
desired  to  continue  in  neighborly  amity,  confederacy 
and  friendship;  that  they  only  demanded  that  "justice 
and  satisfaction  might  be  given."  To  prevent  further 
mischief,  they  advised  that  three  rational  persons 
should  be  appointed  from  each  province,  to  meet  at  a 
certain  specified  time,  about  the  middle,  between  the 
Chesapeake  Bay  and  South  river,  at  a  point  which 
they  described  as  "a  hill1  lying  to  the  head  of  Sassa 
fras  river  and  another  river  coming  from  our  river, 
almost  meet  together,"  with  full  power  to  settle  the 
bounds  and  limits  between  the  provinces  of  Mary 
land  and  New  Netherlands.  If  such  a  settlement  is 
not  possible,  then  to  refer  the  matter  in  dispute  to 
their  sovereigns  at  home,  the  States  of  England  and 
Holland.  But  that  in  the  meantime  "  all  further  hos 
tility  or  infractions  towards  each  other  may  cease," 
so  that  the  soldiers  that  were  sent  to  defend  New 
Amstel  might  be  sent  home — and  no  further  expense 
be  added,  and  that  a  fair  correspondence  might  be  kept 
up  between  them  as  heretofore.  After  desiring  that 
what  they  had  stated  might  be  recorded,  they  wound 
up  their  address  by  the  following  : 

1  This  hill,  we  think,  must  be  Iron   Hill,  near   the  village  of  New 
ark,  in  New  Castle  county. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  339 

"  And  so  wishing  the  Lord  God  Almighty  will  con 
duct  your  honors  both  to  all  prudent  results,  that  we 
may  live  neighborly  together  in  this  wilderness,  to 
the  advancement  of  God's  glory  and  kingdom  of 
heaven,  amongst  the  heathens,  and  not  to  the  des 
truction  of  each  other's  Christian  blood,  whereby  to 
strengthen  the  barbarous  Indians.  Nay,  m;iy  we 
rather  join  in  love,  and  league  together  against  them, 
which  God  and  our  Saviour  will  grant." 

After  this  the  commissioners1  delivered  a  written 
copy  and  withdrew  from  the  room. 

The  ambassadors  made  no  allusion  to  Hudson,  who 
discovered  both  the  North  and  South  rivers. 

After  their  withdrawal,  the  Maryland  Council  took 
the  matter  into  consideration,  and  resolved  to  have 
an  answer  ready  by  Saturday,  the  8th,  at  5  o'clock 
P.  M.  They  then  adjourned  until  the  next  day, 
when  they  again  met.  and  u  after  a  long  debate,  it 
being  considered  that  Baltimore's  instructions  and 
orders  were  only  to  give  the  Dutch  warning  to  be 
gone,  and  that  when  they  were  able  to  beat  them  out 
they  might  not  plead  ignorance,  it  was  resolved  that 
an  answer  iu  writing,  by  way  of  a  letter,  should  be 
given,  directed  to  the  General  of  the  Manhattans." 

In  accordance  with  this  resolution  a  letter  was  p  e- 
pared,  in  which  they  acknowledged  letters  of  cre 
dence  by  the  ambassadors,  containing  u  many  expres 
sions  of  love  and  amity."  It  said  they  "felt  them 
selves  obliged  to  return  them  real  thanks,  in  giving 
them  (the  Marylanders)  an  opportunity  of  unfolding 

Maryland  Records,  from  the  book  entitled  "Council.  &c..  II.  II." 


310  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

the  causes  that  had  been  the  reason  of  the  Dutch 
astonishment  and  wonder."  It  said,  it  would  give  the 
Dutch  that  satisfaction  which  "  with  reason  they  could 
expect,"  and  which  they  should  likewise  exact  from 
them  (the  Dutch)  as  substitutes  of  Celius,  Lord 
Baron  of  Baltimore,  proprietary  of  that  province, 
and  that  part  lying  on  Delaware  Bay,  to  them  in 
trusted,  and  on  which  the  Dutch  had  injuriously 
seated  themselves,  to  the  prejudice  of  Lord  Balti 
more's  right  and  title.  In  answer  to  the  ambassadors 
demand  made  on  them,  they  said  that  Colonel  Na 
thaniel  Utie  w?as  by  them  "in  pursuance  of  a  com 
mand  from  Lord  Baltimore,  ordered  to  make  his 
repair  to  a  certain  people  seated  on  the  Delaware 
Bay,  within  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude,  and 
let  them  knowT  they  were  residing  in  his  Lordship's 
jurisdiction  without  his  knowledge,  and  much  more, 
without  his  license,  and  without  grant  of  land  from, 
or  oath  of  fidelity  taken  to  his  Lordship,  which  were 
the  conditions  and  laws  on  which  he  granted  the  plan 
tations  to  those  within  the  jurisdiction  of  his  grant. 
In  case  of  their  refusal  he  was  instructed  to  let  them 
know  that  all  lawful  means  were  to  be  used  to  reduce 
them  to  obedience,  which  all  people  within  his  terri 
tories  were  bound  to  yield  to  those  entrusted  with 
the  province  of  Baltimore,  who  wras  sole  and  absolute 
lord  and  proprietary,  by  patents  under  the  great 
seal  of  England,  bearing  date  the  20th  of  June,  1632, 
and  since  confirmed  by  acts  of  Parliament,"  a  copy 
of  which  w7as  shown  to  the  ambassadors.  It  said, 
"that  as  the  ambassadors  seemed  to  insinuate  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE^OF    DELAWARE.  341 

colony  on  the  Delaware  was  seated  thereby  and  under 
the  command  of  Stuyvessant,  to  whom  the  letter  was 
directed  as  General  of  the  Manhattans,  they  pro 
tested  against  him  and  all  other  persons,  either  prin 
cipals  or  abettors,  in  the  said  intrusion  upon  their 
bounds  and  confines."  It  also  declared  their  inten 
tion  of  recovering  in  due  time,  and  by  all  lawful 
means,  damages  and  costs  that  they  might  have,  or 
hereafter  might  have  sustained  from  the  Dutch  occu 
pancy  and  injurious  detention  of  the  territory  within 
their  bounds  and  limits. 

The  letter  also  asserted  "  the  original  rights  of  the 
Kings  of  England  to  these  countries  and  territories, 
which  it  was  their  (the  Maryland  Governor  and 
Council's)  business  to  maintain,  and  not  by  any  dis 
course  to  controvert,  or  in  the  least  attempt  to  yield 
up.  That  they  could  accept  nothing  from  any  other 
power,  nor  could  they  yield  up  any  authority  with 
out  the  consent  of  the  Kings  of  England  and  their 
successors.  That  the  Dutch  had  no  authority  to  ex 
ercise  any  jurisdiction  on  the  Delaware  by  virtue  of 
any  grant  from  the  State  General,  because  the  Stite 
General  had  no  authority  to  make  such  grant,  and 
if  they  did  make  one,  it  would  be  void  and  of  no 
force  and  effect." 

In  relation  to  the  instructions  to  Colonel  Utie,  (so 
much  insisted  on  by  the  Dutch),  they  said  "  were 
such  as  every  person  inhabitant  of  this  province  of 
Maryland  ought  to  take  notice  of."  It  was  signed  by 
the  Secretary  of  the  province,  and  this  was  the  usual 
and  common  mode  of  giving  notice  to  the  inhabi- 


342  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

tants  of  Maryland,  and  that  they  made  use  of  no 
other.  It  stated  that  they  did  not  believe  that  the 
State  General  "  would  own  those  people  at  Delaware 
Bay  to  be  there  seated  by  their  authority,  since  they 
have  heretofore  protested  to  the  supreme  authority 
then  in  England,  not  to  own  their  intrusion  upon  their 
territories  and  dominions." 

In  relation  to  indebted  persons,  it  informed  the 
Dutch  "  that  the  Maryland  Courts  were  open — that 
their  justice  was  speedy,  and  denied  to  none  that 
should  demand  it,  which  they  thought  was  as  much 
as  in  reason  could  be  expected  of  them.  That  they 
took  the  same  course  in  relation  to  the  neigh 
boring  colony  of  Virginia,  and  only  gave  the 
Virginians  and  their  brethren  (the  English)  the  same 
remedy." 

It  wound  up  by  saying  :  "  Thus  hoping  that  you 
will  seriously  weigh  the  consequences  of  your  actions, 
we  rest  in  expectation  of  such  a  compliance  as  the 
style  you  give  yourselves  imports,  having  taught 
us  to  subscribe  ourselves  your  affectionate  friends 
and  neighbors."1 

Notice  was  then  given  to  the  ambassadors  "  to 
attend  on  the  next  day  for  an  answer."  Accordingly 
Herman  and  Waldron  attended,  and  presented  a 
paper,  which  stated  "that  having  viewed  Lord  Balti 
more's  patent,  in  which  they  say  they  reserved  only 
what  the  Governor  and  Council  of  New  Netherlands 
might  have  to  say  against  it;  that  they  repeat  their 
former  declaration  and  manifestation  of  the  6th  hist., 

1  X.  Y.  Historical  Col.  vol.  3,  pp.  384,  385. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  343 

and  that  Baltimore's  patent,  that  he  had  petitioned 
the  King  of  England  for  a  country  in  the  parts  of 
America' which  was  not  seated  and  taken  up  before, 
only  inhabited  (as  he  saith)  by  a  certain  barbarous 
people,  the  Indians ;  upon  which  ground  his  royal 
majesty  of  England  did  grant  and  confirm  the  said 
patent.  But  that  the  South  river,  of  old  called  the 
Nassau  river  of  New  Netherlands,  (by  the  English 
surnanied  Delaware),  was  taken  up,  appropriated, 
and  purchased  by  virtue  of  a  grant  from  the  State 
General,  long  before  the  grant  to  Baltimore.  There 
fore  the  King  of  England's  intention  and  justice  was 
not  to  have  given  and  granted  that  part  of  a  country 
which  before  was  taken  in  possession  and  seated  by 
the  subjects  of  Holland.  So  that  the  claim  of  Balti 
more  to  Delaware  Bay  or  any  part  thereof  was  inva 
lid." 

It  was  on  these  words  of  the  grant  Baltimore  was 
was  afterwards  defeated  by  Perm,  in  his  claim  to  this 
State — otherwise  the  State  of  Delaware,  the  City  of 
Philadelphia,  the  town  of  West  Chester,  and  portions 
of  Delaware,  Chester,  York,  Adams,  Franklin,  Ful- 
tun,  Bedford  and  Somerset  counties,  Pennsylvania 
would  now  be  included  within  the  limits  of  the  State 
of  Maryland.1 

In  addition  to  these  formal  letters  and  written 
speeches,  considerable  conversation  relative  to  the 
South  river  and  the  conduct  of  Utie  took  place.  The 
governor  asked  the  ambassadors  "if  his  letter  by 

1  Maryland  Records,  copied  by  J.   Leeds  Borzinan    for  the  Nc\v 
York  Historical  Society. 


344  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Utie    had  been    received    by  the    Director    General 
and  Council  ?" 

They  said  "  no,  they  had  received  no  letter.  That 
they  were  informed  on  South  river  that  Alricks  had 
received  a  private  one,  in  answer  to  one  of  his  with 
out  date,  time,  or  place,  of  which  he  took  no  notice." 

Governor  Fendall  said  "he  had  no  intention  to 
meddle  with  the  government  at  Manhattan,  but  that 
the  government  and  people  who  had  settled  on  the 
Delaware  Bay,  were  within  their  limits,  and  that  he 
once  sent  Colonel  Utie  to  them,  and  that  he  should 
have  delivered  his  instructions,  though  only  given  to 
regulate  his  conduct,  &c." 

The  ambassadors  replied  "  that  the  government  and 
inhabitants  on  South  river  made  separate  government, 
but  a  sabaltern  and  subject,  being  only  Vice  Govern 
ors  and  Members  of  New  Netherlands,"  &c. 

Fendall  answered  "  that  he  knew  no  better,  and 
had  always  understood  that  the  General  Director  on 
South  river,  in  Delaware  Bay,  did  hold  his  commis 
sion  from  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  and  had  settled 
there  with  his  people  as  a  separate  government," 

The  ambassadors  answered,  "  no  ;  but  that  the  city 
of  Amsterdam  was  in  possession  of  that  place  as  a 
colony,  and  a  particular  member  of  New  Netherlands, 
in  a  similar  manner  as  their  colonies  in  Virginia  and 
Maryland  were  subsisting ;  and  they  had  many  simi 
lar  colonies  in  New  Netherlands,  so  that  any  injustice 
or  injury  committed  against  the  colony  of  New  Am- 
stel,  was  perpetrated  against  the  whole  State  of  New 
Netherlands." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  345 

This  answer  of  the  ambassadors  appeared  to  have 
offended  Col.  Utie,  who  said  with  great  vehemence, 
"  that  they  might  take  notice  of  all  that  had  hap 
pened,  but  that  all  that  he  had  done  against  the  peo 
ple  who  had  dared  to  settle  within  the  province  of 
Lord  Baltimore,  if  the  Governor  and  Council  would 
renew  his  commission,  he  would  do  again." 

Herman  and  Waldron  replied  that  "  if  he  returned 
once  more,  and  acted  in  the  same  manner  as  before, 
he  would  lose  the  name  of  ambassador,  and  be  con 
sidered  as  a  pertrubator  of  the  public  peace,  because 
it  was  not  lawful  in  an  ambassador  or  delegate  to 
attempt  any  other  thing  than  to  present  in  courteous 
manner  his  message  to  the  magistrate  or  supreme 
chief  to  whom  he  was  sent,  but  that  it  (his)  was  the 
language  of  open  hostility,  a  language  of  war,  to 
summons  a  place  to  surrender  in  such  a  manner  as  by 
fire  and  sword." 

To  this  Utie  answered  that  "he  had  not  done  so, 
further  than  his  instructions  and  commission  justi 
fied." 

% 

The  ambassadors  replied  "  that  they  would  only  pay 
regard  to  the  answer  which  they  received  in  return, 
and  therein  he  would  clearly  perceive  in  what  man 
ner  he  made  his." 

Utie  further  added  "  that  he  too  had  further  under 
stood  that  they  had  threatened  to  transport  him  to 
Holland,  which  lie  wished  they  had  executed." 

They  replied  "that  if  he  once  more  returned  and 
acted  in  -that  manner,  perhaps  that  nothing  better 
might  be  his  lot." 


346  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Utie  then  asked  "in  what  manner  he  ought  to  have 
conducted  himself;  he  had  despatched  two  of  his 
men  before  him,"  he  said,  "  to  notify  his  arrival,  after 
which  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city,  and  if  it  then 
was  not  permitted  to  take  a  walk  arid  look  at  the 
place,  and  converse  with  the  inhabitants,  who  invited 
him  to  enter  their  lodgings." 

The  ambassadors  answered  "  that  it  was  permitted 
to  do  this,  but  not  to  stir  up  revolt  and  rebellion 
against  the  magistrates,  and  threaten  them  if  they 
would  not  voluntarily  surrender,  that  they  were  to  be 
plundered  and  expelled,  so  that  those  altercations 
caused  uneasiness  on  both  sides." 

Utie  at  this  (the  ambassadors  said),  glowed?  with 
rage,  and  was  commanded  by  the  governor  to  keep 
himself  more  reasonable.  That  they  remained  at  full 
liberty  to  explain  themselves  without  interrupting 
each  other. 

The  ambassadors  "  then  appealed  to  what  they  had 
brought  with  them  in  answer  from  New  Netherlands, 
which  they  declared  they  had  made  known,  and  which 
they  solicited  might  be  taken  into  serious  considera 
tion,  so  that  they  might  avoid  any  frivolous  dis 
courses." 

Fendall  hinted  to  Herman  and  Waldron,  amongst 
other  points,  that  they  had  "arrived  there  without 
having  demanded  or  obtained,  as  they  ought  to  have 
done,  a  license." 

They  remarked  that  they  "were  yet  unacquainted 
with  the  forms  of  the  government,  but  would  con 
duct  themselves  in  future  in  accordance  to  their  cus- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  347 

torn,  or  such  as  they  should  deem  proper  to  estab 
lish." 

On  this  Utie  exclaimed  that  they  "  should  have 
stopped  at  his  island  to  inquire  there  whether  they 
should  be  permitted  to  land." 

The  ambassadors  thought  from  this  that  if  he  had 
met  them,  or  known  anything  about  their  embassy, 
he  would  have  kept  them  there,  and  not  permitted 
them  to  proceed  further.  But  one  of  the  council 
interrupting  Utie,  said,  "  that  then  they  would  have 
been  accommodated  with  a  better  vessel,"  as  Herman 
and  Waldron  had  before  told  them  they  had  arrived 
in  an  old  and  leaky  boat,  and  that  they  could  not 
wait  to  procure  a  better  one.  They  however  thought 
that  if  they  had  not  exerted  themselves  to  the  utmost 
on  the  road  to  avoid  Colonel  Utie,  he  would  have  left 
nothing  untried  to  disappoint  them  and  frustrate  their 
plan. 

This  was  the  end  of  this  conference. 

At  another  time  they  had  friendly  discussions  with 
the  Governor  and  Council  individually.  They  "pro 
posed  to  submit  the  matters  to  a  committee  of  both 
nations,  or  enter  into  friendly  correspondence  for 
trade,"  &c.  This,  the  ambassadors  said  they  seemed 
to  consent  to,  but  they  were  inclined  to  defend 
their  rights  under  the  patent. 

They  also  held  an  interview  with  Governor  Fen- 
clall  after  they  had  given  their  answer  in  relation  to 
Baltimore's  patent,  when  he  told  them  that  Balti 
more's  patent  was  given  by  his  majesty,  with  full  instruc 
tions  that  Delaware  Bay  was  to  belong  to  the  Eng- 


348  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

lish.  He  also  required  of  them  the  Dutch  patent  for 
New  Netherlands  and  the  Delaware  Bay. 

They  answered  that  "  they  did  not  need  to  expose 
it  at  present,  as  they  did  not  come  for  that  purpose, 
but  only  lo  prepare  a  day  for  a  future  meeting  be 
tween  both  parties." 

Fendall  then  thought  that  he  "  ought  not  to  have 
shown  his." 

The  ambassadors  then  replied  '•  they  intended  no 
other  use  for  it  than  the  Delaware." 

Fendall  said  that  "  Claiborne  h-id  before  made  the 
same  objection  regarding  the  Island  of  Kent,  of  which 
he  had  taken  possession  of  before  the  patent,  but  it 
did  not  avail,  as  he  had  to  implore  Lord  Baltimore  to 
save  his  life." 

The  ambassadors  replied,  "  this  was  a  different 
case;  that  they  were  not  subjects  of  England,  but  of 
the  Dutch  nation,  and  had  as  much  right  to  settle 
part  of  America  as  any  others." 

On  the  18th,  the  governor  again  demanded  to  see 
their  patent  for  South  river. 

The  ambassadors  replied  they  "had  not  had 
it  with  them,  but  they  would  show  it  at  a  future 
meeting." 

There  were  also  some  remarks  made  on  soldier  hos 
tilities,  and  that  each  must  pursue  his  own  course. 

The  ambassadors  replied  that  the}^  "  should  pre 
pare  themselves  for  defence,"  but  at  the  same  time 
solemnly  protesting  against  such  attacks.  They  also 
said  they  knew  they  (the  Marylanders)  would  not 
attack  them  (the  Dutch)  in  a  clandestine  manner. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  349 

To  this  the  Council  replied,  "  they  would  use  their 
own  pleasure.  Payment  for  runaways,"  the  Council 
informed  them.  "  might  be  settled  by  their  courts ; 
but  they  could  not  compel  them  to  return,  because 
they  considered  Delaware  in  their  jurisdiction." 

At  a  further  conversation  between  the  governor 
and  the  ambassadors,  the  governor  asked  as  to  who 
was  meant  by  the  "  Dutch  Swedes"  spoken  of  in  their 
address. 

To  this  the  ambassadors  made  an  answer  that  was 
hardly  a  truthful  one.  They  replied  "  that  they  had 
been  partners  and  associates,  residing  for  some  time 
(or  rather  connived  at)  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Company,  but  they  became  so  insolent,  that  in  a  trait 
orous  manner  they  surprised  New  Amstel,  then  called 
Fort  Cassimer,  by  which  the  Director  General  and 
Council  of  New7  Netherlands  were  compelled  to 
cleanse  that  neighborhood  of  such  a  vile  gang." 

The  Swedes  did  indeed  attack  and  take  Fort  Cas- 
sinier,  but  they  were  never  (until  conquered  by  Stuy- 
vessant)  under  Dutch  jurisdiction,  as  the  ambassa 
dors  intimated.  Fendall,  it  appears,  was  ignorant  of 
the  settlement  of  the  Swedes,  and  the  conquering  and 
occupation  of  their  territory  by  the  Dutch,  although 
how  this  could  be,  when  there  were  so  many  Swedish 
refugees  in  Maryland,  it  is  hard  to  imagine. 

Again,  the  ambassadors  in  their  communication  to 
the  Marylanders,  mistated  the  time  of  the  destruction 
of  Fort  Oplandt  and  the  murder  of  the  first  settlers 
of  Delaware.  They  alleged  it  occurred  previous  to 
the  building  of  Fort  Nassau,  in  1623.  When  this 


350  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

event  took  place,  in  1631,  or  nine  years  later, 
and  only  one  year  previous  to  the  grant  of  the 
State  of  Maryland  to  Baltimore,  which  was  in 
1632.1 

Fendall  also  inquired  of  the  ambassadors  with 
great  anxiety  in  relation  to  the  "mountain"  they  had 
mentioned  as  a  place  of  meeting,  from  which  (as  the 
ambassadors  said),  "the  Sassafras  river,  in  Virginia, 
and  the  kill  which  emptied  itself  into  South  river, 
behind  Reedy  Island,  seem  to  derive  their  origin." 
They  said,  "  we  had  our  passage  over  this  mountain." 
This,  we  think,  must  have  been  either  Chestnut  or 
Iron  Hills,  near  Newark,  which  wrould  have  been  in 
their  course,  more  than  probable  the  latter.  They  are 
situated  in  Pencader  hundred,  about  two  miles  from 
the  town  of  Newark,  and  about  the  same  distance 
from  the  Maryland  line.  The  Sassafras  river  and  the 
Augustine  creek,  which  flows  into  the  Delaware  back 
of  Reedy  Island,  do  not  indeed  take  their  origin  there, 
as  Herman  and  Waldron  supposed,  but  Persimmon 
creek,  which  flows  into  the  Christiana,  and  a  branch 
of  the  Elk  river,  which  takes  its  course  through  the 

1  Subsequent  investigation  has  led  the  author  to  believe  that  the 
earlier  historians  who  have  written  on  the  Delaware  river,  have  been 
wrong  in  placing  the  scene  of  the  massacre  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Delaware  at  Lewistown.  Paradise  Point  is  laid  down  by  Lindstrom 
as  being  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Mordare  Kylcn,  or  Murderer's 
Creek.  Lindstrom  arrived  only  12  years  after  this  massacre,  and 
therefore,  whilst  it  was  fresh  in  men's  minds.  It  was  at  Swanendale 
the  unfortunate  settlers  built  their  fort.  Therefore  there  is  but  little 
doubt  that  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Murderkill  Fort  Oplandt  was 
built,  and  that  that  creek  derives  its  name  from  the  tragedy  enacted 
on  its  banks. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  351 

Cat  Swamp,  have  their  rise  within  about  half  a  mile 
of  each  other,  near  the  Iron  and  the  Chestnut  Hills. 

The  ambassadors  also  had  some  private  conversa 
tion  with  the  governor  on  the  subject  of  establishing 
mutual  trade  overland  between  Maryland  and  Dela 
ware  Bay. 

Herman  assured  him  "  that  this  could  easily  be 
carried  on,  as  soon  as  this  question  was  terminated, 
and  the  limits  of  both  sides  adjusted." 

This  trade  it  was  intended  should  have  its  course 
overland  from  the  Bohemia  river,  in  Maryland,  to  the 
Appoquinimink  creek,  in  Delaware.  It  was  intimated 
to  Herman  that  this  trade  by  land  would  be  less 
likely  to  excite  the  jealousy  of  England  than  if  it 
was  conducted  by  sea.  This  hope  of  trade  between 
these  places  was  undoubtedly  the  reason  that  induced 
Herman  to  obtain  the  grant  of  the  land  now  known 
as  Bohemia  Manor.1 

On  the  20th.  the  ambassadors  departed.  Waldron 
to  the  South  river,  with  a  relation  of  their  proceedings, 
and  Herman  to  Virginia,  for  the  purpose,  as  he  wrote, 
"  of  inquiring  of  the  Governor  of  Virginia  what  was 
his  opinion  on  the  subject,  and  to  create  a  division 
between  them  both  (i.  e.  Maryland  and  Virginia),  and 
to  purge  the  Dutch  of  the  slander  of  stirring  up  the 
Indians  to  murder  at  Accomac." 

Thus  ended  the  embassy  of  the  Dutch  to  Mary 
land. 

Herman  in  a  letter  to   Stuyvessant  recommended 

1  See  Herman's  account  in  Albany  Records,  vol.   18,  pp.   337-364, 
and  in  vol.  2,  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  pp.  80-98. 


352  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

the  Board  of  Directors  at  New  Amsterdam  to  appoint 
one  of  their  number  to  visit  Lord  Baltimore  "to  see 
whether  an  agreement  could  not  be  made  quietly." 
He  also  recommended  the  drawing  of  a  corrrect  map 
of  the  South  river  and  Virginia,  in  which  the  lands 
and  hills  (creeks)  should  be  laid  down  on  an  exact 
scale  of  latitude  and  longitude.1  These  things  he 
wished  done  before  complaints  were  made  by  Balti 
more  to  the  English  government. 

The  Rev.  Everardus  Wclius,  the  first  clergyman 
W7e  have  a  record  of  as  residing  at  New  Castle,  died 

o 

on  the  9th  of  December.2 

At  this  time  the  following  mechanics  were  em 
ployed  at  New  Amstel.  They  are  the  first  named  us 
following  these  trades  in  this  State,  viz.  :  Andries 
Andriessen,  a  carpenter;  Theunis  Servaes,  of  Har 
lem,  a  cooper;  Cornelius  Theunissen,  a  smith;  Wil 
liam  Van  Rnesenberg,  a  surgeon;  Thys  Jacobsen,  a 
boy  working  at  carpentering  with  Andries  Andries- 
sen;  he  is  the  first  carpenter's  apprentice  recorded. 
There  were  also  Joost,  of  Amsterdam,  and  Antony 
Willimsen,  of  Vreedlandt,  masons. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Dutch  were  still  suspicious  of 
the  Swedes.  Some  concealed  pOAvder  was  discovered 
in  a  desk,  and  they  were  afraid  that  some  one  who 
was  working  mischief  was  concealed  amongst  them. 

Beekrnan,  the  Governor  north  of  the  Christiana, 
became  very  sick,  and  things  generally  on  the  South 
river  were  in  very  bad  condition. 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Calli^han,  vol.  2,  pp.  99,  100. 

2  In  1657  or  1658,  the  Rev.  John  Polhemus  organized  a  church  at 
New  Castle,  whilst  on  his  way  to  Brazil. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  353 

Stuyvesant  wrote  to  the  Directors  in  Holland, 
giving  an  account  of  the  disputes  with  the  Mary- 
landers.  He  expressed  the  opinion  that  "  they  would 
take  the  first  opportunity  to  expel"  the  Dutch  from 
the  South  river.  He  urged  the  strengthening  of 
that  river,  and  at  the  same  time  informed  them 
that  "  Governor  of  Maryland  had  already  caused 
a  survey  to  be  made  of  the  lands  at  the  distance  of 
about  one  or  two  miles1  from  Fortress  New  Amstel, 
and  caused  a  distribution  to  be  made  of  them  amongst 
the  inhabitants  of  Maryland.  He  desired  informa 
tion  if  they  took  possession  of  these  lands,  what 
should  be  his  course  of  proceedings."2 

The  City  of  Amsterdam  found  that  the  Colony  of 
New  Amstel  was  of  great  expense,  and  no  profit 
to  them.  On  the  30th  of  September  they  ap 
pointed  a  committee  of  their  Council  to  confer  with 
the  West  India  Company  in  relation  to  surrendering 
it  back  to  them  on  equitable  terms.  On  the  8th  of 
November  no  agreement  could  be  concluded  to  that 
effect.3 

In  addition  to  other  troubles  that  afflicted  the  un 
fortunate  Dutch  colonists  of  the  South  river,  were 
petty  disputes  between  the  officials  of  Altona  and 
New  Amstel.  The  officials  of  the  Colony  of  the 
City  believed  that  those  of  the  Company  were  per 
suading  the  settlers  to  desert  their  territory  and  re- 

1  The  reader  must  bear  in  mind  that  in  Dutch  correspondence, 
Dutch  miles  are  meant,  which  are  three  English  miles. 

2  Albany 'Records,  vol.  10. 

3  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  111. 

23 


354  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

y 

move  to  New  Amsterdam.  Several  residents  of  New 
Amstel  declared  before  their  Council  on  the  14th  of 
November  that  the  officers  of  the  Company,  amongst 
them  Cornelius  Van  Ryven  and  Martin  Krygier,  had 
held  out  inducements  for  them  to  desert  New  Amstel 
and  remove  to  Manhattan.  These  declarations,  signed 
by  the  parties,  were  sent  to  the  Burgomasters  of  Am 
sterdam.1  These  disputes  finally  broke  out  in  open 
quarrel  between  them  in  regard  to  a  frivolous  matter— 
the  cleaning  of  the  Fort  at  New  Amstel.  Captain 
Krygier  ordered  a  sergeant  to  assist  in  this  work, 
who  was  one  of  the  city's  soldiers.  He  refused  to 
obey  the  order,  stating  he  was  forbidden  by  Alricks 
and  D'Hinoyossa  "  to  obey  any  other  command  than 
theirs."  This,  Krygier  afterwards  naively  remarked 
in  a  letter  to  Stuy  vesant,  "  sounded  in  our  ears  as 
an  uncommon  trumpet."  Krygier,  however,  directly 
afterwards  addressed  himself  to  Alricks  in  presence 
of  D'Hinoyossa,  expressing  his  surprise  at  the  com 
mand,  telling  him  "  that  he  must  know"  by  his  "  cre 
dentials  and  instructions  with  what  high  commission 
he  was  endowed,  and  that  he  wished  to  know  if  it 
was  done  with  his  (Alricks)  knowledge." 

Both  Alricks  and  D'Hinoyossa  then  declared  "  that 
the  City  of  Amsterdam's  servants  were  not  holden 
agreable  to  their  oath  to  obey  any  further  commands 
than  those  of  the  city."  And  D'Hinoyossa  further  de 
clared  that  "  no  one,  while  he  held  commission,  should 
hold  command  over  him,  or  the  soldiers  of  the  city," 
and  such  other  discourses,  which,  says  Krygier  in 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  pp.  103-6. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  355 

his  letter  to  Stuyvesant  "  should  not  be  passed  with 
out  protest,  yet  we  do  it,  as  it  might  lead  to  discus 
sions,  and  to  be  avoided.  We  trace  it,  however,  to 
the  oath  which  had  been  taken,  excluding  the  Direc 
tors  of  the  West  India  Company."1  Krygier  proposed 
alterations  in  this  respect.2  Other  matters  of  annoy 
ance  also  took  place  between  them.  Van  Ryven 
and  Krygier  on  the  side  of  the  West  India  Company 
finding  constant  fault  with  Alricks  and  D'Hinoyossa, 
the  officers  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam,  caused  the 
latter  to  retort,  and  Alricks  charged  the  company  and 
its  commissaries  "  with  all  the  trouble  that  had  been 
raised  in  the  City's  Colony  by  the  desertion  of  its 
citizens  and  soldiers.  In  one  of  his  letters  Alricks 
alleged  that  if  the  "  Colony  of  New  Amstel,  or  any 
place  depending  on  it,  was  lost  or  ruined,  that  they 
(Stuyvesant  and  the  other  company's  officers)  would 
be  to  blame  for  it."  Alricks  also  protested  against 
"  recalling  the  garrison  from  the  Hoernkill."  Stuy 
vesant  severely  censured  him  for  this.  In  a  letter 
to  the  Company  he  denounced  this  latter  charge  in 
the  protest  of  Alricks,  of  "  absolutely  commanding 
the  recalling  of  the  garrison  from  the  Hoernkill  as 
"  impudent  and  false." 

On  the  30th  of  December,  Alricks,  after  a  sickness 
of  several  months,  died,  having  first  appointed  Alex 
ander  D'Hinoyossa  as  his  successor,  and  Gerritt  Van 
Gezel,  secretary. 

Alricks'    appointment  was    unfortunate    for    the 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  18. 

2  Ibid,  p.  234. 


356  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Colony,  principally  on  account  of  his  "  too  rigid  pre- 
ciseness,"  as  his  strictness  in  collecting  debts  due  the 
city  of  Amsterdam  (and  his  holding  the  unfortunate 
emigrants  from  Holland  to  their  agreement  to  stay 
four  years),  was  called  by  Stuyvesant.  But  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  he  had  a  difficult  task  to  per 
form,  and  that  the  records  from  which  we  mainly 
derived  our  information  as  to  his  character  were 
written  by  those  opposed  to  him.  And  again,  the  city 
of  Amsterdam  dispatched  over  vessel  after  vessel 
loaded  with  colonists,  who  were  not  agriculturalists, 
or  men  fully  master  of  any  mechanical  art  useful 
in  a  new  country.  In  many  cases  they  were  of 
sedentary  occupations  (such  as  weavers,  tailors  and 
buttonmakers)  unaccustomed  to  hard  bodily  labor,  who 
however  valuable  in  an  old  and  thickly  settled  com 
munity  were  useless  in  an  uncleared  wilderness,  which 
was  then  the  condition  of  what  is  now  the  State  of 
Delaware.  Again  many  of  those  sent  over  were 
vagabonds,  without  any  legitimate  occupation,  who  in 
fested  the  streets  of  Amsterdam.  With  people  of 
of  this  description,  that  city  swarmed  the  colony  of 
New  Amstel,  without  sending  sufficient  food  for  their 
support. 

The  ship  Meul,  with  one  hundred  souls,  arrived  at 
one  time  without  a  mouthful  of  provision ;  and  then 
at  another  time  the  Indians  destroyed  their  corn. 
In  addition  to  other  evils  the  settlers  were  attacked 
by  the  bilious  fever,  which  disease  is  always  preva 
lent  in  neighborhoods  where  wild  lands  are  being 
cleared  for  cultivation.  Delaware  was  no  exception 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  357 

to  this  rule.  Even  in  the  memory  of  men  still  living 
this  disease  was  very  prevalent  in  what  are  now  por 
tions  of  the  city  of  Wilmington ;  and  in  certain  houses 
this  malady  annually  entered,  and  struck  down  the 
inmates  with  sickuess  and  death.  The  old  Whitehall 
property  still  standing  near  Church  and  Ninth  streets, 
which  at  the  time  of  its  erection  was  considered  one  of 
the  handsomest  residences  in  Delaware,  was  especially 
noted  for  its  unhealthiness.  It  was  then  the  mansion 
of  a  farm  or  plantation.  At  a  residence  situated  at 
Seventh  and  French  streets,  which  was  then  the 
summit  of  a  hill,  the  bilious  fever  would  annually 
enter  and  prostrate  the  household.  There  were  other 
houses  in  Wilmington  where  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  live  and  retain  health,  and  where  almost  annually 
one  of  the  family  would  be  carried  to  the  grave.  In 
portions  of  Kent  and  Sussex  it  was  especially  fatal. 
Children  were  raised  with  difficulty;  and  nearly  every 
family  would  have  to  mourn  the  loss  of  portions  of 
their  younger  offspring. 

The  clearing  of  the  woods  and  draining  the  swamps 
and  marshes  has  greatly  ameliorated  this  disease  in 
all  portions  of  our  State,  and  in  some  sections  driven 
it  away  entirely.  But  it  especially  marred  the  efforts 
of  Alricks,  leaving  him  with  a  horde  of  sick  and 
helpless  people,  whose  energies  were  destroyed,  with 
so  little  food  to  feed  them,  that  it  is  alleged  many  of 
the  unfortunate  settlers  of  New  Amstel  died  from 
starvation. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

FROM  1660  TO  1661. 

Dispute  between  D'Hinoyossa  and  Secretary  Van  Gezel  —  He  flies 
to  Altona  to  save  himself  from  arrest  —  His  removal  from  office  — 
Appointment  of  Prato  as  Councellor  —  Van  Sweringen  as  Secretary 

—  Peter  Alricks  appointed  commander  at  the  Hoernkill  —  Orphan 
house   at    New    Amstel  —  First    Delaware    orphan  —  Murders   of 
Indians  —  They  threaten  revenge  —  Information  sent  to  Stuyvesant 

—  He  urges  punishment  of  the  murderers  —  Sends  commission  to  try 
them  —  Tried  and  sentenced  previously  by  D'Hinoyossa  —  Payment 
made  to  the  savages  as  a  recompense  —  Robbery  of  Hudde  —  Fears 
of  invasion  from  Maryland  —  Fort  Christina  decaying  —  Beekman 
attempts  to  move  the  Swedes  —  They  refuse  —  Number  of  Swedes 
able  to  bear  arms  —  Swedes  receive  permission  to  stay  —  Removal  of 
Van  Dycke   the    Swedish  sheriff  —  Runaway  Maryland    servants 
delivered    up  —  Horses    on    the    Delaware  —  First    divorce    case  — 
Criminal    trial  —  Stuyvesant   writes    a    letter   censuring    D'Hin 
oyossa  —  Indian   sachem   visits    Beekman  —  Ferry    at   Hoernkill  — 
Utie  agrees  to  inform  on  runaways  —  Attorney  for  Baltimore  de 
mands  the  delivery  up  of  New  Amstel  from  West  India  Company 

—  They  refuse  —  They  lay  it   before   the    State   General,  who   in 
structs  their  ambassador  to  lay  it  before  King  Charles  —  Dispute 
between   Beekman    and   D'Hinoyossa  —  D'llinoyossa  will   not   be 
commanded   by  Stuyvesant  —  City  of  Amsterdam  confirm  D'Hin- 

^oyossa  as  governor  —  His  conduct  approved  of  —  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Laers  —  Augustin  Herman  —  First  roads  in  Delaware  —  Founding  of 
Appoquonome  (Odessa)  —  Amsterdam  desires  to  give  up  New  Am 
stel  —  Agree  to  hold  it. 


[16601        ^HE  (^ea^1  of  Alricks  and  the  appointment  of 

D'Hinoyossa  as  governor  of  New  Amstel,  it 

does  not  appear,  worked  more  advantageously  to  the 

benefit  of  the  settlers.     The  jealousy  between  the 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  359 

officers  of  the  two  colonies  of  Delaware  (Altona  and 
New  Amstel)  still  continued.  A  dispute  occurred 
between  D'Hinoyossa  and  Van  Gezel,  who  was  a 
nephew  of  the  deceased  governor  Alricks,  in  relation 
to  the  latter's  estate,  and  Van  Gezel  had  to  fly  to 
Altona  to  save  himself  from  arrest  by  D'Hinoyossa, 
and  request  Beekman  to  protect  him  from  his 
(Hinoyossa's)  violence.  Upon  this  D'Hinoyossa 
removed  him  from  his  office  of  councellor  and  secre 
tary.  John  Prato  he  appointed  to  the  former  office, 
whilst  the  sheriff,  Van  Sweringen,  acted  as  secretary. 
D'lIinoyossM  also,  upon  Van  Gezel  refusing  when 
summoned  to  appear  before  him,  entered  his  house 
and  took  therefrom  a  mirror  and  picture  valued  at 
twenty-five  guilders. 

The  government  of  New  Amstel  at  this  time  con 
sisted  of  D'Hinoyossa  as  governor,  Van  Sweringen 
and  Prato  as  councellors,  whilst  they  called  to  their 
aid  on  extraordinary  occasions  Williams,  the  surgeon, 
and  John  Block,  the  gunner.  Peter  Alricks  was  ap 
pointed  as  commander  of  the  Hoernkill. 

Beekman,  on  the  1st  of  February,  received  a  note 
from  D'Hinoyossa,  without  any  address,  making  in 
quiries  in  relation  to  Van  Gezel,  and  offering  as  an 
excuse  for  its  want  of  direction,  "  that  he  had  no  time 
to  ivrite  the  address  ivithout  breaking  in  upon  his  lazi 
ness"  Of  this  Beekman  sent  on  a  rather  sneering 
account  to  Stuyvesant.  D'Hinoyossa  complained  that 
Van  Gezel  had  not  rendered  either  his  accounts  as 
an  auctioneer,  or  those  of  the  orphan  house.  For 
at  this  early  period  had  the  Dutch  an  institution  to 


360  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

provide  for  friendless  children.  The  first  child  placed 
in  this  house  was  born  on  the  Prince  Maurice,  wrecked 
on  Long  Island,  whilst  on  her  way  to  this  country 
with  settlers  for  New  Amstel.  Its  father  was  named 
John  Barneston.  He  was  murdered  by  the  Indians. 
Its  mother  died  at  Colonel  U  tie's.  Its  parents  appear 
to  have  tied  from  New  Amstel  to  Maryland.  It  was 
named  by  the  Burgomasters  of  New  Amstel "  Amstel's 
Hope."  " 

The  first  criminal  trial  we  have  any  mention  of 
now  occurred  in  our  State.  Gerrit  Herman  and 
Govert  Jansen  having  quarrelled,  Jansen  with  his 
sword  wounded  Herman  in  the  palm  of  the  left  hand, 
and  cut  off  his  finger ;  he  was  sentenced  to  pay  the 
account  of  Herman,  also  his  surgeon's  bill,  sixty  guil 
ders  in  money,  and  to  work  for  six  weeks  at  the 
spade  and  wheelbarrow  in  the  fort  at  Altona.  The 
sentence  was  signed  by  Beekman,  and  on  the  31st  of 
May  approved  by  Stuyvesant. 

In  addition  to  internal  trouble,  and  the  uncertain 
state  of  affairs  with  Maryland,  the  unfortunate  Dutch 
settlers  were  now  in  danger  of  a  war  with  the  Indians. 
Three  Indians  were  found  murdered  on  the  farm  of 
Jacob  Alricks,  the  deceased  governor,  near  New 
Amstel,  on  the  21st  of  January.  One  of  these  was  a 
Minqua,  or  one  of  those  Indians  who  resided  on  the 
Christina  river.  The  murder,  it  was  alleged,  was 
committed  by  two  of  Alrick's  servants.  The  bodies 
were  found  in  the  underwood,  in  the  marsh,  by  some 
Indians,  who  communicated  the  information  of  the 
murder  to  their  tribe,  who  at  once  threatened  to  take 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  361 

revenge  on  the  residents  of  New  Amstel.  The 
neighboring  inhabitants,  upon  this,  abandoned  their 
residences,  and  fled  to  the  fort  for  protection.  Much 
indignation  was  excited  against  D'Hinoyossa  on  this 
occasion,  on  account  of  his  saying  that  "  he  would  not 
contribute  a  farthing  in  the  case  of  this  murder,  but 
that  it  must  be  borne  by  the  community,  and  that  he 
was  "  pretty  indifferent  whether  the  savages  went  to 
war  or  not."  Beekman,  however,  endeavored  to 
settle  the  matter  peaceably  with  them,  and  sent  for 
Van  Dyke,  the  Swedish  sheriff,  to  consult  with  the 
authorities  of  Altona  and  New  Amstel,  to  devise 
means  to  prevent  the  threatened  bloodshed.1  The 
supposed  murderers  were  apprehended,  and  informa 
tion  sent  to  Stuyvesant,  giving  him  a  full  account  of 
the  affair.  He  wrote  back,  urging  the  importance  of 
the  conviction  and  execution  of  the  murderers.  As 
he  could  not  go  himself  to  the  South  river,  he  sent 
his  attorney-general,  Nicatius  de  Stille,  and  Paulus 
Lindert  Van  de  Graft,  an  old  burgomaster  of  Amster 
dam,  who,  with  Beekman,  D'Hinoyossa,  Van  Swer- 
ingen,  Jacobus  Backer,  (acting  schoepen,)  and  John 
Prato,  were  to  inquire  into  the  circumstances  of  the 
murder.  They  were  instructed  as  follows  : 

"  When  the  inquiry  is  made,  the  delinquents  dis 
covered,  and  by  sufficient  proofs  and  voluntary  con 
fessions  convicted,  then  prosecute  them  before  the 
delegated  Judge  to  make  up  his  conclusion  according 
'to  law,  demand  speedy  and  impartial  justice,  and 
execute  the  pronounced  judgment  there  on  the  spot 
for  others'  example. 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  7,  p.  29. 


362  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

"  Shall  invite  the  sachem  and  some  other  individuals 
to  be  present,  and  explain  it  as  an  object  of  frier  dship, 
and  that  they  may  be  made  to  do  so  when  Indians 
kill  whites." 

They  also  brought  with  them  some  other  instruc 
tions,  viz.,  to  inquire  into  the  case  of  a  man  named 
Becker,  for  selling  rum  to  the  soldiers,  some  of  whom, 
whilst  in  a  state  of  intoxication,  had  burnt  a  canoe 
belonging  to  the  Indians.  Becker  was  tried,  con 
victed,  and  dismissed  from  his  office  of  clerk  for  this 
offence.  They  were  also  to  exhort  D'Hinoyossa  and 
Alricks'  executors  to  peace,  and  to  advise  and  assist 
Sergeant  Andreas  Laurens  in  the  military  serrice, 
whom  they  authorized  to  "  enlist  Swedes  and  Fins 
as  soldiers  at  eight  or  twelve  heavy  guilders  per 
month."1 

Nicatius  de  Stille  and  Van  de  Graft  arrived  at  New 
Amstel  on  the  8th  of  March,  for  the  purpose  of  com 
posing  part  of  the  court  to  try  the  murderers  of  the 
Indians,  but  on  the  10th  of  February,  nearly  a  month 
previous,  D'Hinoyossa  had  tried,  convicted,  and  sen 
tenced  the  murderers  on  his  own  responsibility.  He 
solicited  the  attendance  of  Beekman  at  the  trial,  who 
at  first  declined  to  be  present,  but  afterwards  attended. 
Beekman  asked  him  if  he  "  supposed  himself  suffi 
ciently  qualified  to  decide  such  cases."  D'Hinoyossa 
answered  "Yes."  He  then  requested  Beekman  to 
"  take  a  seat  near  tke  fire  and  hear  the  debate  and 
decision."  To  this  Beekman  consented.  The  alleged 
murderers  were  convicted,  but  they  appealed  from 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  24,  pp.  108,  109. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  363 

the  judgment  of  D'Hinoyossa  to  the  director  and 
council  of  New  Netherlands  at  Manhattan,  by  whom 
it  appears  that  the  judgment  of  D'Hinoyossa  was 
reversed.  This  was  the  first  trial  for  murder  that 
took  place  in  Delaware. 

On  the  18th  of  August,  payment  was  made  by 
Beekman  to  the  savages  as  a  satisfaction  for  the 
murdered  men,  and  a  receipt  signed  by  them  given 
to  him.  Whilst  this  was  being  done,  a  band  of  Indians 
attacked  and  robbed  Andreas  Hudde,  formerly  di 
rector  or  governor  of  the  Dutch  possessions  on  the 
Delaware,  at  the  time  they  were  mainly  in  and  around 
Fort  Nassau,  and  on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of 
Philadelphia.  The  Indian  sachems,  upon  being  in 
formed  of  this  outrage,  engaged  that  every  thing 
should  be  returned.  This,  however,  was  never  done, 
and  poor  Hudde,  who  had  proved  himself  a  faithful 
servant  of  the  Dutch,  was  reduced  to  poverty. 

The  Dutch  were  still  alarmed  by  rumors  that 
Baltimore  would  invade  the  South  river.  On  one 
occasion,  fearing  an  attack  from  the  Marylanders, 
they  pulled  down  an  old  house  on  Cooper's  Island 
(which  was  situated  on  Cherry  Island  Marsh,  now 
within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  of  Wilmington) 
to  get  timbers  to  repair  Fort  Christina,  which  was  in 
a  decayed  condition. 

Attempts  were  still  made  by  Beekman,  in  accord 
ance  with  the  instructions  from  Holland  to  get  the 
Swedes  to  change  their  habitations,  but  strong  objec 
tions  were  made  by  them  to  moving  from  their  settled 
and  cleared  lands,  where  they  had  already  erected 


364  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

their  dwellings,  to  others,  wild  and  uncultivated,  and 
destitute  of  buildings.  The  Swedes  and  Finns  appear 
to  have  been  much  annoyed  at  this  constant  inter 
ference  with  their  habitations,  and  some  twenty 
families  prepared  to  leave  the  company's  colony  of 
Altona  and  reside  in  the  city's  colony  in  New  Am- 
stel. 

At  this  time,  according  to  the  report  of  Van  Dyke, 
the  Swedish  sheriff,  to  Beekman,  there  were  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  of  the  Swedes  capable  of  bearing  arms.1 
The  Swedes  and  Finns  were  two  separate  people,  arid 
could  not  converse  with  each  other  on  account  of  the 
difference  in  their  language.  Originally,  the  land 
between  Marcus  Hook  and  Chester,  Pa.,  was  called 
Finland,  and  here  undoubtedly  was  the  principal 
settlement  of  that  people.  Endeavors  were  made  to 
get  them  to  settle  at  Passyunk,  a  territory  lying 
between  the  Wicaco  and  the  Schuylkill,  situated 
within  the  present  limits  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
but  they  declined  on  one  pretext  and  another.  First 
soliciting  a  delay  until  after  harvest,  and  at  last  per 
emptorily  refusing  to  go.  Attempts  were  then  made 
to  get  them  to  settle  at  Esopus,  now  called  Kingston, 
in  the  present  State  of  New  York,  but  as  the  Dutch 
were  engaged  in  war  with  the  Indians  in  that  neigh 
borhood,  they  very  properly  declined  to  reside  in  a 
vicinity  which  was  then  the  scene  of  massacre  and 
murder.  Eleven  Indians  at  Esopus  had  just  been 
slaughtered  by  the  Dutch,  and  the  whole  of  the 
Indian  tribes  there  were  banded  together  to  revenge 

1  Beekman's  Letters,  vol.  17,  p.  45  of  Albany  Records. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  365 

the  murder.  Beekman  thought  "  they  were  admon 
ished  and  encouraged  by  some  of  the  principal  leaders 
among  them  not  to  disperse,  but  to  remain  on  the 
South  river  as  closely  united  together  as  possible.''' 
They  finally  received  permission  from  Stuyvesant  to 
stay,  but  not  until  they  informed  Beekman  that  if 
compelled  to  go,  "  the?/  would  depart  to  a  spot  where 
they  might  live  in  peace."  Van  Dyke  was  afterwards 
discharged  from  his  office  of  sheriff,  on  the  ground 
that  he  had  influenced  the  Swedes  against  moving 
from  their  settled  habitations  to  other  places  marked 
out  for  them  by  the  Dutch. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  a  Mr.  Henry  Coursay,  a  mer 
chant  of  Maryland,  arrived  at  New  Amstel,  seeking  for 
some  runaway  servants  of  his.  D'Hinoyossa  at  first 
refused  to  deliver  them  up,  but  finally  agreed  to  do 
so,  and  they  were  given  to  him  at  the  Hoernkill  on 
the  llth  of  April.  Beekman  thereupon  sent  to 'the 
governor  of  Maryland,  to  Colonel  Utie  and  the  magis 
trates  residing  on  the  Sassafras  river,  a  complimentary 
letter,  in  which  he  "  requested  that  if  any  Dutch 
soldiers  deserted  to  Maryland,  that  he  would  arrest 
and  imprison  them,  and  inform  him  of  it  by  express, 
at  the  expense  of  the  company,  in  which  case  he 
would  despatch  with  their  permission,  a  sergeant, 
assisted  by  soldiers,  to  accompany  them  home."1 

We  have  an  account  of  the  number  of  horses  on  the 
Delaware  at  this  time.  They  appear  to  have  increased 
but  slowly.  Beekman  notifies  Stuyvesant  that  the 
"  horses  are  misused  by  the  Swedes,"  so  that  he  feared 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  49. 


366  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

there  would  be  "  no  increase  by  them."  He  stated 
"  that  the  mares  were  spoiled  by  drawing  the  whole 
moral ng  heavy  beams,"  and  that  "  only  three  mares 
and  two  stallions  were  alive"  of  the  number  Stuy- 
vesant  sent,  "besides  two  young  colts  of  two 
years."1 

We  have  in  the  dispatches  of  Beekman  this  year 
some  accounts  of  criminal  trials,  and  also  glimpses  of 
the  darker  shades  of  social  life  in  our  State  at  that 
time.  He  says  : 

"  Amongst  the  Finns  is  a  married  couple  who  live 
together  in  constant  strife.  The  wife  receives  daily 
a  severe  drubbing,  and  is  expelled  from  the  .house  as 
a  dog.  This  treatment  she  suffered  a  number  of 
years ;  not  a  word  is  said  in  blame  of  the  wife,  whereas 
he,  on  the  contrary,  is  an  adulterer.  On  all  which 
the  priest,  the  neighbors,  the  sheriff,  appeal  to  me,  at 
the  "solicitation  of  man  and  wife,  that  a  divorce  might 
take  place,  and  the  small  property  and  stock  be 
divided  between  them."  Beekman  asked  for  orders. 
This  is  the  first  mention  made  of  any  divorce  case  in 
Delaware. 

Beekman  also  gives  an  account  of  two  other  trials, 
one  for  marrying  illegally,  the  other  for  assault  and 
battery.  In  the  one  case,  Oloff  Stille,  an  influential 
Swede,  was  a  prominent  actor.  He  was  the  resident 
of  a  village  named  after  him  by  the  Swedish  freemen 
"  Stillensland,"  situated  on  the  Delaware,  not  far  from 
Chester,  Pa.  Stille  had  a  thick  black  beard,  from 
which  the  Indians  gave  him  the  name  of  "  the  man 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  18,  pp.  51,  58. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  367 

with  the  black  beard."     He  was  the  ancestor  of  the 
respectable  Stille  family  now  residents  of  Philadelphia. 
Beekman,  in  giving  his  account  of  the  trial,1  which 
took  place  at  Altona,  says  :    "  Oloff   Stille  opposed 
himself  to  me  pretty  warmly  in  court,  because  I  sus 
pected   him,  that  he,  without  being  authorized,  had 
arrogated  to  himself  to  qualify  the  priest  to  marry 
a  young  couple  without  the  usual  proclamations,  and 
against  the  will  of  the  parents,  on  which  I  condemned 
the  priest  in  a  fine  of  fifty  guilders,  which  said  Stille 
too  opposed,  saying  that  it  was  not  our  province  to 
meddle  with  this  affair,  it  ought:  to  be  done,  if  any 
interference  was  desirable,  by  the  Swedish  Consistory, 
and  that  we  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  priest.     Mr. 
Laerson2  adopted  the  same  opinion,  as  our  court  re 
lated  to  us,  last  November,  on  a  summons,  that  we 
had  no  right  to  interfere  with  the  rights  of  Christina, 
so  that  he  did  not  appear  before  us.     The  case  was 
this  :    Mr.  Laerson  had  complained  of   assault    and 
battery  by  Peter  Mayer ;  he  was  severely  struck  and 
wounded  in  his  face,  so  that  I  never  saw  a  worse,  on 
which  both  were  summoned  to  appear  before  us ;  and 
before  the  court  could  meet,  the  affair  was  settled^ 
pretending  the  incompetency  of  the  court.     On  the 
19th  of  August  the  court  me:.     There  were  twelve 
Swedish  and  Finnish  nations  summoned,  and  a  default 
by  the  Jagers  and  other  Dutchmen  in  the  colony, 

1  Campanius. 

2  Laerson  was  the  Swedish  minister  left  by  the  Dutch,  and  spoken 
of  as  of"  godless  and  scandalous  life."    He  is  named  by  some  as  "  Lau 
rence  Charles  Lokenius.''     He  is  also  called  "  Laers." 


368  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

when  an  order  was  issued  that  for  each  default,  which 
was  voluntarily  and  premeditated,  and  not  brought 
forward  by  any  extraneous  or  invisible  obstacles,  as 
through  sickness,  or  on  God's  wind  and  weather, 
should  be  paid  a  fine  of  ten  guilders,  so  that  no  per 
son  should  be  delayed  in  his  just  pretensions,  as  there 
were  annually  only  three  or  four  courts,  as  circum 
stances  might  require.  On  the  Tth  of  this  month, 
being  court,  the  priest  and  Mayer  were  again  sum 
moned  on  the  same  affair  by  Sheriff  Van  Dyke ;  and, 
further,  that  Peter  Mayer  treated  another  person  in 
the  insolent  manner*,  and  Peter  Mayer,  deliberately 
occasioning  default,  after  the  eight  intimations,  to 
Jacob  Van  Vern,  in  whose  behalf  the  assignment  was 
made  by  the  sheriff  and  commissaries  for  liquor  re 
ceived  ;  on  which  Peter  Mayer,  coming  to  me,  requested 
a  receipt,  making  at  the  same  time  a  great  noise,  that 
in  this  manner  the  costs  were  excessive,  but  that  he 
too  would  not  be  at  rest  until  he  had  legal  security 
for  his  land.  He  told  me,  further,  in  pretty  harsh 
language,  that  every  year  new  commissaries  ought  to 
be  appointed,  as  entitled,  or  that  he  and  other  free 
men  were  always  to  be  treated  as  boys,  so  that  con 
stantly  we  are  to  be  ruled  by  madcaps,  who  did  not 
understand  reading  or  writing,  and  were  to  be  pre 
ferred  before  him,  who  was  acquainted  with  letters 
and  penmanship,  and  that  the  affairs  should  be 
managed  in  quite  different  manner,  if  he  should  re 
main  here;  with  many  other  similar  insolent  blubber- 
ings  ;  to  all  which  I  listened  with  patience,  refuting 
him  with  solid  arguments,  and  advised  him  to  go  to 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  369 

your  honor  and  lay  his  complaints  before  you. 
A  few  days  ago,  when  I  sent  him  warning  to  deliver 
up  his  horse,  his  wife  came  here  and  made  a  horrible 
noise  ;  they  could  not  spare  the  horse  ;  they  were 
not  accustomed  to  carry  their  wood  on  their  necks, 
and  they  had  a  share  in  the  property  of  the  horse  as 
well  as  I ;  and,  be  it  said  with  reverence,  she  did  not 
care  a  groat  about  my  orders,  as  they  intended  to 
leave  soon  this  spot ;  on  which  I  menaced  to  send 
her  to  the  guard  house ;  but  having  no  wish  to  throw 
her  in  consternation,  as  being  in  her  last  stage  of 
pregnancy,  I  let  it  pass  by.  In  short,  this  people 
conduct  themselves  most  despicably.  Nevertheless, 
if  they  are  resolved  to  move  from  here  and  reside  in 
the  colony,  or  any  other  part,  I  shall  remind  him  of 
the  fine  which  he  yet  owes  for  selling  liquor  to  the 
savages.  I  am  informed  that  the  greater  part  of  those 
now  living  separately  do  intend  going  to  reside  in 
Maryland  with  a  few  of  the  Finns."1 

Stuyvesant  appears  to  have  severely  censured  the 
conduct  of  D'Hinoyossa,  the  governor  of  New  Amstel, 
as  Beekman,  in  a  letter  to  him  of  April  8th,  says  : 

"  I  copied  your  letter  to  the  Honorable  D'Hin- 
oyossa,  sealed  it,  and  then  directly  conveyed  it  to 
him.  He  was,  he  said,  much  surprised  at  such  a 
vulgar  address,  covering  such  bitter  contents,  and  you 
might  be  assured  that  he  would  show  it  from  the 
greatest  to  the  smallest,  and  even  forward  it  to  the 
States.  He  said,  further,  he  wrould  not  do  any  thing 
contrary  to  your  orders,  but  bear  all  things  with 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  51,  58. 
24 


370  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

patience,  but  remonstrated  against  it  to  his  principals. 
He  wished  to  be  informed  by  me  if  the  colony  was 
again  transferred  to  the  company.  He  understood  at 
least  by  your  letter  that  a  change  was  in  contempla 
tion."1  Beekman  also  complained  of  D'Hinoyossa 
not  restricting  the  sale  of  liquors  to  the  Indians  in 
daylight. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  the  great  chief  of  the  Minquas 
visited  Beekman,  and  showed  him  his  poor  coat. 
The  hint  was  taken  by  Beekman,  who  thereupon  pre 
sented  him  with  a  coat  and  piece  of  frieze  in  the  name 
of  Stuyvesant.  On  the  17th  of  June,  a  sachem 
arrived  at  Altona  from  Hackensack,  with  three  or 
four  other  savages,  among  whom,  it  was  said,  was  the 
brother  of  a  sachem  who  was  killed  at  Esopus  by  the 
Dutch.  Accompanying  these  savages  was  the  great 
chiefs  of  the  Minquas,  who  informed  Beekman  that 
he  intended  visiting  New  Amsterdam  the  next  night 
to  see  if  he  could  make  peace  between  the  savages 
and  the  Dutch.  As  to  whether  the  great  chief  of  the 
Minquas  visited  Stuyvesant  on  that  peaceful  mission, 
or  as  to  the  result  of  that  mission  if  he  did,  history  is 
silent. 

There  appears  to  have  been  a  ferry  at  the  Hoernkill 
at  this  early  day,  as  the  records  say  the  boat  used  for 
it  was  sunk.  By  the  same  record  we  learn  Colonel 
Utie  agreed  to  inform  the  Dutch  of  the  runaways 
from  the  Delaware  to  Maryland.2 

On  the  1st  of  September,  Captain  Neal,  the  attor- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  51,  58. 

2  Albany  Records,  vol.  18,  p.  80. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  371 

ney  of  Lord  Baltimore,  in  obedience  to  instructions 
from  him,  had  an  interview  with  the  College  of  19 
in  Amsterdam,  and  asked  the  Directors  (much  to 
their  surprise)  to  deliver  up  the  Dutch  Settlements 
on  the  Delaware,  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  Amstel 
and  Altona  to  him.  This  claim  was  made  (Neal  in 
formed  them)  under  the  grant  from  Charles  the  1st. 
If  the  demand  of  Neal  was  complied  with,  Baltimore 
agreed  to  give  them  indemnity  for  "  all  costs,  damages 
and  interests  already  undergone  or  to  be  yet  incurred" 
They  replied  by  asserting  their  "  right  by  possession, 
under  the  grant  of  the  State  General  for  many  years, 
without  disturbance  from  Lord  Baltimore,  or  any 
other  person."  They  declared  they  were  "  resolved  to 
remain  in  possession  and  defend  their  rights,"  and 
"  if  Lord  Baltimore  persevered  and  resorted  to  violent 
measures,  they  would  use  all  the  means  God  and 
nature  had  given  them  to  protect  the  inhabitants," 
and  "  would  be  innocent  of  any  blood  which  may  be 
shed."1  The  College  (or  West  India  Company,  by 
which  name  it  is  better  known  to  our  readers)  on  the 
'5th  of  November  following,  laid  the  matter  before  the 
State  General,  and  requested  them  to  "  represent, 
through  their  ambassadors  in  England,  the  situation 
of  affairs  with  Maryland,  and  to  complain  of  Lord 
Baltimore's  encroachments  and  pretensions,"  and  to 
desire  that  the  English  government  should  require 
that  Baltimore  should  "  desist  from  them  until  a 
boundary  line  could  be  run  between  the  provinces  of 
Maryland  and  the  Dutch."  The  State  General  agreed 

'  Albany  Records,  vol.  8,  pp.  294,  296,  301. 


372  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

to  the  request  of  the  Company,  "  and  all  necessary 
papers  were  furnished  to  the  ambassadors,  who  were 
instructed  to  direct  the  attention  of  King  Charles  the 
2d  to  the  subject.1 

The  dispute  between  the  jurisdiction  of  the  com 
pany  and  the  city  appear  to  have  continued  through 
the  whole  of  1660,  and  Beekman  made  complaint  of 
D'Hinoyossa  in  every  letter  he  wrote  to  Stuyves- 
ant.  He  complained  of  him  for  allowing  liquor  to 
be  sold  "  to  the  savages,  so  that  they  behave  shame 
fully  ;"  also  "  of  his  administration  of  the  estate  of 
Alricks."  In  one  of  his  letters  he  says  that  he 
(D'Hinoyossa)  says  that  "  he  will  not  be  commanded 
by  your  honor  (Stuyvesant),  as  he  does  not  acknow 
ledge  any  person  his  superior,  except  his  principals 
in  fatherland."2  Again  he  wrote,  (speaking  of  his 
administration  on  Alricks'  estate,)  "  D'Hinoyossa  is 
mentioned  as  conducting  himself  in  a  haughty  and 
imperious  manner,  defaming  and  slandering  the  de 
ceased  director  (Alricks),  and  disregarding  manda 
muses,  and  injuring  the  property  of  the  deceased."3 
But  the  conduct  of  D'Hinoyossa  appears  to  have 
met  the  approbation  of  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  as  on 
the  27th  of  August  the  magistrates  of  Amsterdam 
appointed  him  as  director,  and  John  Prato  and  Gerritt 
Van  Sweringen  as  assistants.  They  also  resolved  to 
continue  their  support  to  New  Amstel,  and  approved 
of  his  conduct  in  seizing  the  property  of  Alricks. 

1  Holland  Documents,  vol.  9,  p.  144;  O'Call.  vol.  2,  p.  461. 

2  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  92. 
5  Albany  Records,  vol.  18,  p.  141. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  373 

This  intelligence  arrived  in  New  Amstel  by  way  of 
Maryland,  on  the  24th  of  December.  Beekman,  in 
describing  the  arrival  of  the  intelligence,  says  :  "  In 
short,  the  joy  is  here  great,  so  that  the  seal  of  the 
letter  was  scarcely  broken,  than  he  commanded  the 
cannon  to  be  three  times  fired." 

After  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Welius,  the  only 
clergyman  on  the  South  river  was  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Laers,  Lokenius,  or  Laerson,  (for  he  is  known  by 
all  three  names).  The  Swedish  or  rather  Finnish 
minister  (for  he  was  a  native  of  the  latter  country), 
and  his  character  was  such  that  he  could  not  com 
mand  the  respect  of  the  Dutch.  Four  clergymen 
were  expected  to  arrive  at  New  Amsterdam  from 
Holland.  Beekman  petitioned  that  one  might  be 
sent  to  Altona. 

Augustine  Herman  appeared  to  have  remained  and 
settled  in  Maryland,  and  at  this  time  obtained  the 
grant  of  Bohemia  Manor.  This  grant  was  made  to 
him  on  account  of  his  making  a  complete  map  of  Mary 
land  and  Virginia,  which  he  dedicated  to  Charles  the 
2d,  King  of  England.  In  the  Greenville  Library  is  a 
copy  of  this  map.  It  was  made  by  Fairthorne,  an 
artist  distinguished  for  crayon  portraits  and  copper 
plate  engraving.  On  it  is  this  statement,  "  Virginia 
and  Maryland,  as  it  is  planted  and  inhabited  this 
present  year,  1670,  surveyed  and  drawn  by  Augustus 
Hermann  Bohemiensis."  This  map  also  contains  a 
beautiful  portrait  of  Hermann.1  He  was  also  instru 
mental  in  constructing  a  cart  road  which  was  made 

1  See  Neill's  Terra  Mariae. 


374  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

about  this  time  between  the  Bohemia  river,  in  Mary 
land,  and  the  Appoquinimink  creek,  in  New  Castle 
county,  Delaware.  The  making  of  this  road  caused 
the  building  a  village  on  the  Appoquinimink  creek, 
called  Appoquoneme.1  This  village  was  the  ancestor 
of  the  present  thriving  town  of  Odessa,  formerly 
known  as  Cantwell's  Bridge.  Odessa  is  therefore  the 
next  town  in  our  State  in  antiquity  after  Wilmington, 
New  Castle,  and  Lewistown.  This  was  the  first  road 
we  have  any  account  of,  as  being  constructed  in  this 
State.  He  also  endeavored  to  establish  a  village  on 
the  Bohemia  river.  Writing  to  Beekman,  some  time 
later,  he  says :  "  I  am  now  engaged  in  encouraging 
settlers  to  unite  together  in  a  village  of  which  I 
understand  a  beginning  will  be  made  before  next 
winter.  From  there  we  may  arrive  by  land  in  one 
day  at  San  Hoeck  (New  Castle).  *  *  *  The 
Maquas  (Christina)  kill,  and  the  Bohemia  river  are 
only  one  mile2  distance  from  each  other,  by  which  it 
is  an  easy  correspondence  by  water,  which  would  be 
greatly  encouraging  to  the  inhabitants  of  New  Nether 
lands."3  This  village  is  now  called  Port  Herman, 
but  it  has  dwindled  to  nothing.  It  has  not  thrived 
like  its  Delaware  sister.  Herman  appears  to  have 
made  successful  efforts  in  softening  the  differences 
between  the  English  and  the  Dutch,  and  rendering  the 
intercourse  between  them  pleasant.  It  was  undoubt 
edly  owing  to  his  influence  that  the  fierce  Marylanders 

1  Journal  of  Bankers  and    Stuyter.     See  Memoirs  of  the   Long 
Island  Historical  Society,  vol.  1. 

2  A  Dutch  mile  is  three  English  miles.  3  Vol.  17,  p.  111. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  375 

were  modified  and  induced  (instead  of  marching  with 
armed  forces  against  the  Hollanders)  to  open  a  trade 
with  them  that  would  tend  to  their  mutual  advantage. 
He  wrote  several  letters  to  Beekman,  advising  him  in 
relation  to  matters  occurring  between  the  citizens  of  the 
South  river  and  Maryland,  and  appeared  deservedly 
to  have  acquired  the  confidence  of  both  Dutch  and 
Mary  landers. 

The  colony  of  New  Amstel  had  proved  an  expense 
to  the  city  of  Amsterdam  instead  of  a  profit,  and  they 
desired  to  convey  it  back  to  the  company.  They 
appointed  a  commission  to  see  if  arrangements  could 
not  be  made  for  that  purpose  on  the  30th  of  Sep 
tember,  1659.  but  no  satisfactory  terms  could  be 
agreed  upon  between  them.  To  the  1st  of  January 
it  had  cost  them  165,200  guilders,  for  which  outlay 
there  had  been  little  return,  and  they  had  been 
dunned  for  the  interest  of  the  loan.  On  the  16th  of 
March  (as  they  could  not  get  rid  of  it)  their  Council 
passed  a  resolution  to  retain  the  colony.  The  com 
mission  they  had  appointed  to  inquire  into  its  affairs, 
reported  to  them  that  amongst  other  causes  tending 
to  injure  New  Amstel  was  the  interference  of  the 
company's  officers  with  those  of  the  city's  colony. 
They  were  of  opinion  that  this  difference  about  juris 
diction  might  be  remedied  by  the  "  company  holding 
their  director  (Stuyvesant)  to  his  duty,  and  sharply 
interdicting  him  from  undertaking  any  thing  contrary 
to  the  right  of  the  city's  colony."  The  commissioners 
also  reported  that  the  right  of  appeal  to  the  Director 
General  and  Council  of  New  Netherlands,  in  cases  where 


376  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

the  sums  in  dispute  were  over  one  hundred  guilders, 
and  of  appeal  in  criminal  matters,  and  the  claiming  of 
dues  for  anchoring  in  front  of  New  Amstel,  and  com 
pelling  vessels  carrying  goods  for  the  South  river  to 
unload  at  New  Amsterdam,  were  amongst  the  other 
things  detrimental  to  New  Amstel.  The  Council  of 
Amsterdam  accordingly  conferred  with  the  West 
India  Company,  who  agreed  that  the  courts  of  New 
Amstel  should  have  jurisdiction  in  actions  to  the 
amount  of  600  guilders ;  that  there  should  be  no  ap 
peal  in  criminal  cases ;  that  the  city  of  Amsterdam 
should  have  the  appointment  of  sheriff;  and  that 
vessels  should  be  allowed  to  proceed  direct  to  New 
Amstel  and  discharge  their  cargoes,  without  touching 
at  New  Amsterdam.  There  were  also  other  minor 
considerations  and  alterations  made  in  the  original 
compact  between  the  company  and  the  city.  The 
city  of  Amsterdam1  also  issued  proposals,  inviting 
merchants  and  others  to  engage  with  the  city  in  the 
planting  and  trade  of  New  Amstel.  The  city  had 
hopes  of  an  increased  prosperity  of  their  colony  from 
the  opening  of  a  trade  with  Maryland.  They  speak 
of  a  certain  creek  (in  the  report  of  their  commissioners) 
that  has  been  discovered,  that  is  navigable  with 
small  boats,  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  English 
creek.  The  creek  alluded  to  was  undoubtedly  the 
Appoquinimink. 

D'Hinoyossa  had,  in  a  letter  written  at  New 
Amstel  the  12th  of  December,  1659,  and  received  by 
the  city  commissioners  the  early  part  of  this  year, 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  172. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  377 

offered,  if  the  city  of  Amsterdam  advanced  one  hun 
dred  thousand  guilders,  to  plant  a  thousand  souls  on 
the  South  river,  and  give  them  security  for  the  money. 
He  blamed  the  failure  of  the  colony  to  Alricks.  He 
accused  him  of  "  getting  all  he  could  gripe  and  catch, 
provided  only  it  could  be  got  on  credit."  This  letter 
was  written  a  few  days  before  Alricks'  death,  who 
believed  to  the  last  that  D'Hinoyossa  was  friendly 
to  him.  It  undoubtedly  encouraged  the  city  of  Am 
sterdam  to  persevere  in  the  establishment  of  their 
colony,  and  caused  them  to  believe  that  better  man 
agement  of  the  affairs  of  New  Amstel  would  make  it 
a  profit  to  them,  instead  of  a  loss,  which  it  had  hereto 
fore  been. 


-  CHAPTER  XXIV. 

FROM  1661  TO  1662. 

Murder  of  three  Englishmen  and  a  Dutchman  by  Indians  —  Arrest  of 
savages  with  their  clothes  in  New  Amstel  —  They  are  let  go  —  Indig 
nation  of  the  Marylanders  thereat  —  English  suspect  the  Dutch  of 
inciting  the  Indians  to  murder  —  Indians  alarmed  at  the  English  — 
Hold  a  meeting  at  Passyunk  —  Present  seawant  to  Minquas  to 
reconcile  them  —  Minquas  present  furs  to  Marylanders  for  that 
purpose  —  They  refuse  —  Desire  Minquas  to  form  alliance  to  destroy 
the  Indian  murderers  —  Minquas  refuse  —  Peace  made  between 
Marylanders  and  English  near  Appoquinimink  —  Dutch  to  supply 
Marylanders  with  negroes  for  tobacco  —  Grave  of  an  Indian  sachem 
violated  and  robbed  —  Maqua  and  Seneca  Indians  at  war  —  Mary- 
landers  assist  the  former  —  Senecas  destroy  plantations  in  Mary 
land  —  Effect  on  Swedes  and  Finns  —  Catholics  visit  New  Amstel 
and  Altona  —  Wish  to  settle  —  Not  encouraged  —  Unpleasant  con 
versation  between  them  and  Beekman  —  Maryland  Council  decide 
not  to  press  the  rights  of  Maryland  to  New  Amstel  —  Do  not  know 
whether  it  is  in  latitude  40  —  Wait  for  the  will  of  the  proprietary- 
Send  agent  to  lay  claim  for  the  West  India  Company  to  South 
river  —  West  India  Company  agree  to  give  up  Hoernkill  —  S^uyves- 
ant  censured  in  relation  to  New  Amstel  —  His  defence  —  First 
elopement  in  Delaware  —  Laers  marries  himself  —  Continued  ill  feel 
ing  between  Beekman  and  D'Hinoyossa  —  Beekman's  letters  on 
the  subject  —  D'Hinoyossa  makes  vessels  lower  their  colors  pass 
ing  New  Amstel  —  Refuses  to  see  Beekman. 


ri661~l  ^  January?  some  Indians  who 

resided  on  the  Delaware  murdered  four  people 
who  were  travelling  from  New  Amstel  to  Altona.  They 
were  three  Englishmen  and  a  Dutchman  (the  brother 
of  a  Dr.  Herck)  who  had  been  at  Altona  only  a  few 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  379 

days  on  a  visit.  Two  or  three  days  after  the  committal 
of  the  murder,  several  savages  arrived  at  New  Amstel, 
who  had  with  them  some  of  the  clothes  of  the  mur 
dered  men,  which  they  offered  for  sale.  It  could  not 
be  ascertained  whether  they  were  the  murderers,  but 
two  of  them  going  to  the  house  of  a  man  named  Foppo 
Jarison,  were  at  once  seized  by  him,  assisted  by  William 
Hollingsworth,  an  Englishman,  and  Gerrit  Ruster,  an 
inhabitant  of  New  Amstel.  They  immediately  in 
formed  D'Hinoyossa  of  the  seizure,  who  placed  them 
in  prison,  the  savages  at  the  same  time  "  uttering 
violent  threatenings"  against  the  inhabitants  of  New 
Amstel.  After  an  examination  they  were  set  at 
liberty.  The  setting  of  these  savages  at  liberty  was 
very  displeasing  to  Philip  Calvert,  who  had  succeeded 
Fendall  as  governor  of  Maryland,  (and  who  was  an 
illegitimate  son  of  George  Calvert,  the  first  Lord 
Baltimore,  by  a  lady  who  had  accompanied  him  on  a 
visit  to  Newfoundland  and  Virginia,)  and  excited  sus 
picion  in  the  rninds  of  the  English,  so  much  so,  that 
Augustine  Herman  wrote  in  private  to  D'Hinoyossa 
"  that  the  English  foster  the  opinion  that  the  inhabi 
tants  of  New  Amstel  and  the  Hoernkill  secretly  in 
stigate  the  river  savages  to  such  misdeeds,  which/' 
says  Beekman,  in  a  letter  to  Stuyvesant,  giving  an 
account  of  the  affair,  "  is  certainly  an  odious  and 
wrong  imagination."1  Herman  also  wrote,  a  short 
time  afterwards,  to  Beekman,  in  which  he  said  :  u  It 
is  much  disliked,  and  had  given  offence  that  the 
apprehended  Indian  murderers,  who  murdered  the 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  109, 


380  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

English,  and  carried  their  clothes  to  Sand  Hoeck,  (New 
AmsteL)  have  been  set  at  liberty.  The  English 
require  satisfaction  from  the  murderers,  or  war, 
whichever  they  choose,  on  this  point  they  are  now 
quarelling  with  the  Susquehannocks.  It  was  desira 
ble  that  D'Hinoyossa  would  write  the  governor  in 
a  manner  to  remove  the  broil,  and  conciliate  his  good 
will,  as  the  English  are  inclined  to  live  with  us  in 
harmony  and  friendship,  and  cultivate  and  promote 
commerce  between  the  two  nations,  which  they  would 
not  interrupt,  unless  compelled  by  force  or  necessity. 
I  hope  for  a  favorable  answer.  It  is  said  here  that 
the  Susquehannock  chiefs  have  been  summoned  to 
Sand  Hoeck,  and  there  is  some  suspicion  that  it  re 
lates  to  the  aforesaid  business."1 

The  energy  and  determination  of  the  English  of 
Maryland  in  their  demand  for  satisfaction  from,  or 
war  with  the  savages  for  this  murder  greatly  alarmed 
the  latter.  Accordingly,  some  time  in  the  latter  end 
of  May,  they  held  a  meeting  at  Passyunk,  and  col 
lected  a  large  portion  of  seawant  to  make  presents  of 
it  to  the  Minquas  to  reconcile  them  to  the  English 
for  these  murders.  The  Minquas,  had,  some  days 
before,  endeavored  to  present  to  Calvert  some  furs, 
which  he  refused  to  accept,  but  requested  them  rather 
to  unite  with  him  and  destroy  the  nation  of  the  sava 
ges  that  committed  the  murder.  This  the  Minquas 
declined  to  do.  The  Dutch  at  this  juncture  endeav 
ored  to  reconcile  matters  between  them,  and  to  get 
the  Indians  to  send  ambassadors  to  the  Mary  landers. 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  114. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  381 

This  they  refused  to  do,  being  afraid  to  trust  them 
selves  in  their  power.  They  said  to  the  Dutch,  "  the 
English  killed  some  of  us,  and  we  killed  some  of  them  ; 
the  one  pays  for  the  other."  This  answer,  however, 
did  not  satisfy  the  Marylanders,  but  finally,  on  the 
6th  of  September,  the  Dutch  succeeded  in  getting  two 
chiefs  of  the  savages  residing  on  the  South  river  to 
meet  Calvert,  in  company  with  D'Hinoyossa  and 
Peter  Alricks,  to  negotiate  a  peace.1  This  meeting,  at 
which  Calvert  was  attended  by  his  council,  took  place 
at  Colonel  Utie's.2  This,  however,  was  only  a  pre 
liminary  negotiation,  as  another  conference  was  held 
in  the  month  of  October,  between  the  head  of  the 
Appoquinimink  creek  (then  called  the  Appoquinime) 
and  the  head  of  another  creek  that  flowed  into  the 
Chester  river.  Only  one  savage  chief  was  present  on 
this  occasion,  and  he  was  from  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Delaware.  A  treaty  of  peace  was  here  made  between 
the  Marylanders  and  the  Indians,  a  solitary  sachem 
acting  for  the  latter;  and,  as  the  Dutch  chronicle  re 
marks,  "  had  a  joyful  intercourse  between  them  and 
D'Hicoyossa."  At  this  meeting  the  Marylanders 
offered  to  deliver  annually  to  the  Dutch  two  or  three 
thousand  hogsheads  of  tobacco,  either  at  the  Sassafras 
river  or  Appoquinimink  creek,  provided  the  Dutch 
could  supply  them  with  negroes  and  other  commodi 
ties.  Beekman,3  in  his  letter  to  Stuyvesant,  giving 
an  account  of  the  troubles  arising  from  this  murder 
by  the  Indians,  gave  utterance  to  the  following  pre- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  124.  2  Ibid,  137. 

3  Beekman's  Letters,  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  142. 


352  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATZ    OF    DELAWARE. 

diction,  which  in  part  was  soon  to  be  verified.  II e 
said:  *•  It  is  my  humble  opinion  that  if  the  English 
enter  intn  a  war  with  the  savages,  it  cannot  be  bur  to 
injure  the  public  welfare,  and  that  the  savr.ges  will 
agnin  claim  and  take  possession  of  all  the  lands,  or 

$tcs'&*."~  This  accounts  for  the  anxiety  of  Seek  mar- 
to  preserve  i^ace  between  the  Marylanders  an  i  the 
Indians.  The  Dutch  had  previously,  in  the  beginning 
of  January,  fears  of  an  attack  from  the  Indians  them 
selves.  The  grave  of  Hoppionewick.  an  In.ii\n 
sachem  who  w^s  buried  opposite  the  house  of  Captain 
Krieirer.  had  be^n  violated,  and  some  seawant.  and 
thre-?  or  four  rieoes  of  frieze,  and  some  other  thir.rs 
that  was  buried  wirh  him  had  been  stolen.  At  this 
the  savages  murmured,  an  I  mischief  was  apprehended 
at  New  Arnstel.' 

The  Maqua  and  Seneca  Indians  were  at  this  time 
at  war.  The  Marylanders  assisted  the  Maquas  with 
nfty  men  in  their  fort.2  The  Senecas.  in  retaliation. 
it  is  asserted,  destroyed  several  plantations  of  the 
Swedes  and  Finns  who  settled  in  Maryland.  This 
was  more  than  probablv  the  case,  as  Oloti  Still-/, 
who  left  the  Delaware  with  some  Finns,  to  settle  on 
the  Sassafras  river,  in  Maryland,  (where  several  of 
their  countrymen,  who  had  also  left  the  South  river. 
had  before  settled,  returned,  and  continued  to  resile 
on  the  South  river.  They  found  the  position  of  their 
countrymen  not  as  comfortable  as  had  been  reported. 

-  B-r^jcr-in  §  Letter?.  Ale  any  FU^oris.  vol.  17.  p.  lOv. 

i  A^&sj  Record*.  TO!.  17.  p.  9-x  *  Ibid.  p.  11*. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  383 

The  return  of  these  Finn-;  was  more  than  probable 
the  result  of  actual  or  threatened  raids  from  the 
savages/ 

The  trouble  and  strife  that  at  this  time  occurred 
between  the  Catholics  and  Protestants  in  Maryland. 
caused  some  of  the  Marylanders  of  the  former  faith 
to  visit  the  South  river,  to  see  if  they  could  settle 
under  Dutch  jurisdiction,  without  being  delivered  up 
to  Maryland  authority.  On  the  4th  of  February. 
Captain  Wheeler  and  Ulrick  Anthony,  two  Catholics 
from  Maryland,  visited  both  New  Amstel  and  Altona. 
and  proposed  the  question  to  Beekman.  whether  -  if 
any  resident  of  Maryland  came  to  the  South  river 
the  Dutch  would  give  him  up  when  demanded  ?  or  if 
it  was  presumptive  that  he  would  defend  them  T 
Beekman  pretended  that  "he  was  not  obliged  to 
answer,  as.  not  being  deeply  enough  versed  in  law. 
even  if  it  was  brought  before  him."  He  told  them  ii 
was  a  question  too  critical  for  him  to  decide;  the 
more  so  as  Maryland  appeared  deeply  interested  in 
it.  as  being  in  duty  bound  to  defend  the  privileges 
of  their  citizens."  They  appeared  to  be  mortified  at 
Beekrnan's  answer,  and  excused  themselves  for  their 
arrival  and  departure  from  his  house  by  saving  that 
triey  well  knew  how  to  show  due  respect,  but  in  this 
cu.se  their  conscience  would  not  permit  it."  Beek- 
m-n  answered  that  his  "conscience  did  not  tolerate 
such  a  sect."  In  his  letter  to  Stuyvesant  relating. 
the  meeting.  Beekman  says  :  ••  If  they  remain  quiet, 
and  no  others  of  the  same  creed  shall  arrive  hither.  I 

•  A'.banv  Record*.,  vol.  17.  p.  104,  105. 


384  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

shall  tolerate  them  till  I  have  received  your  honor's 
further  orders;  but  by  an  unexpected  increase  I  shall 
command  them  to  depart,  in  conformity  to  the  orders 
of  your  honor."  In  a  former  part  of  the  same  letter 
he  said :  "  Just  as  we  were  desirous  to  avoid  making 
any  encroachments  upon  the  rights  of  our  neighbors, 
it  seems  to  me,  in  this  question,  with  regard  to  us, 
every  regard  due  to  an  independent  State  is  lost."1 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  May,  the  claim  of 
Maryland  to  the  Dutch  possessions  was  again  brought 
before  the  Maryland  Council,  when  it  was  resolved 
that  as  it  was  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  New  Amstel 
lay  below  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  as 
the  West  India1  Company  resolved  to  maintain  their 
possessions  by  force,  and  there  was  no  prospect  of 
any  aid  from  the  other  colonies,  in  any  attempt 
which  they  might  make  to  reduce  them,  all  further 
efforts  for  their  subjugation  should  be  delayed  until 
the  will  of  the  proprietary  could  be  ascertained,  and 
that  in  the  meantime  some  effort  should  be  made  to 
determine  whether  the  settlement  was  located  within 
the  limits  of  Baltimore's  grant.  An  agent  was  also 
despatched  to  Holland  to  enforce  upon  the  West 
India  Company  the  claims  of  the  proprietary  to  the 
territory  in  question,  and  to  repeat  the  demand  that 
it  should  be  abandoned.  Compliance  with  this  de 
mand  was  again  refused  by  the  company,  but  it  gave 
orders  to  its  settlers  to  withdraw  from  the  terrritory 
about  Cape  Henlopen,  which  they  had  purchased  from 
the  Indians. 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  104,  105. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  385 

But  New  Amstel  and  the  adjoining  territory  were 
still  held  in  possession  by  the  Dutch.1 

The  squabbles  between  the  two  settlements,  the 
Company's  Colony  of  Altona  and  the  City  of  Amster 
dam's  Colony  of  New  Amstel — accounts  of  which 
were  undoubtedly  sent  to  his  employers  (the  City 
Government  of  Amsterdam)  by  D'Hinoyossa — caused 
the  censure  of  Stuyvesant  by  the  West  India  Com 
pany  in  Holland.  D'Hinoyossa  appears  to  have  com 
plained  of  the  interference  in  the  City  Colony's  affairs 
by  the  authorities  of  the  Company,  and  the  reversal 
of  his  judgments  in  the  cases  of  the  murderers  of  the 
Indians.  In  his  letter  of  defence,  written  in  July, 
Stuyvesant  says : 

"  If  all  our  letters  written  since  the  death  of  Al- 
ricks — written  to  his  successor,  D'Hinoyossa,  and  one 
or  two  of  his  principals — had  been  transmitted,  it 
would,  to  all  appearance,  become  evident  that  we  in 
stituted  no  process  whatever  against  the  City's  minis 
ters,  much  less  that  we  sowed  the  seeds  of  discord 
amongst  them ;  to  the  contrary,  it  would  evidently 
appear  that  we  most  sincerely  recommended  them 
peace  and  harmony,  with  the  promotion  of  the  com 
mon  welfare.  What  regards  the  case  or  process  men 
tioned  by  your  honor  relative  to  the  estate  of  deceased 
Alricks  ;  our  opposition  against  judgment  on  the  mur 
derers  of  three  savages,  in  a  case  of  appeal,  and  our 
unwillingness  to  the  judgment  against  Jan  Garrettson 
and  Van  Marcker,  it  was  our  duty  to  inform  you  of 

1  See  McMiihon,  p.  25,  who  quotes  Council  Proceedings  of  Mary 
land. 


386  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

both,  and  all  the  circumstances  of  these  affairs,  and 
our  own  honor  and  character  compels  us  imperiously 
to  express  our  minds  with  all  possible  brevity." 

Then  alluding  to  transactions  connected  with  the 
estate  of  Alricks,  and  the  petition  of  Van  Gezel,  Al- 
ricks  declared  heir  and  executor,  he  says  :  "  Never 
was  there  an  infraction  upon  arrest  made  by  Pro 
visional  Director  D'Hinoyossa  in  behalf  of  his  prin 
cipals  or  the  estate,  or  money  coming  from  it,  or  con 
tracted  for,  which  aforesaid  remains  responsible."1  In 
this  letter  he  speaks  of  Alricks  as  a  man  of  discreet 
character. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  South  river  were  at  this 
time  greatly  excited  by  a  case  of  elopement — the  first 
case  chronicled  as  taking  place  within  the  State.  On 
the  20th  of  September  the  wife  of  Mr.  Laers,  the 
Finnish  priest,  eloped  with  a  man  named  Jacob  Jongh. 
They  departed  in  the  night  in  a  canoe,  accompanied 
by  an  Indian.  Messengers  were  despatched  by  Beek- 
man  to  Sassafras  river  and  other  parts  of  Maryland, 
with  directions  to  arrest  the  fugitives,  but  without 
success.  .  Laers  the  night  following  went  to  the  house 
of  Andreas  Hendriessen,  a  Finn,  where  Jongh  resided, 
and  broke  open  the  door  of  Jongh's  room,  and  also 
broke  open  his  trunk,  which  was  there.  Laers,  how 
ever,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  inconsolable,  or  to 
have  taken  his  loss  much  at  heart,  as  in  less  than  a 
month  after  (on  the  15th  of  October)  he  solicited 
Beekman  for  his  consent  to  marry  again — to  a  girl 
seventeen  or  eighteen  years  old.  He  wished  to  make 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  18,  p.  143. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  387 

the  proclamation  on  the  16th  of  October.  Beekman 
delayed  to  give  an  answer  until  he  should  obtain 
Stuyvesant's  approbation.  On  the  18th  of  November 
he  again  solicited  Beekman's  permission  to  get  mar 
ried,  as  "the  situation  of  his  family,"  he  said,  "impe 
riously  required  it."1  On  the  15th  of  December  he 
solicited  from  the  Council  a  divorce  from  his  wife,  and 
obtained  it.  He  did  not  get  married,  however,  until 
the  31st  of  January  following,  when  he  married  him 
self — "  a  transaction,"  says  Beekman  in  his  letter  to 
Stuyvesant,  "in  my  opinion,  under  execution,  entirely 
unlawful,  and  expect  your  honor's  orders  how  to  con 
duct  myself  in  it." 

Laers  afterwards  got  himself  in  trouble  by  this 
transaction.  Jongh,  it  is  supposed,  went  to  New 
England,  as  his  trunk,  with  several  articles  of  Mr. 
Laers'  property,  was  afterwards  found  at  Upland  (now 
Chester). 

The  ill  feeling  between  Beekman  and  D'Hinoyossa 
still  continued,  and  almost  every  letter  of  Beekman's 
contained  complaint  of  his  conduct.  In  his  letter  of 
January  14,  in  describing  D'Hinoyossa's  carnage  upon 
his  late  appointment  as  Director  or  Governor  of  New 
Amstel,  he  says:  "He  feels  himself  again  pretty  high, 
and  is  strutting  forward  in  full  pride.  He  is  boasting 
that  he  will  recover  all  the  effects  of  the  deceased 
Alricks,  and  sings  already  another  tune.  He  removed 
from  office  his  secretary,  Van  Nas,  because  he  did  not 
flatter  his  whims  in  writing  the  records.'"2  On  the 
Cth  of  September  Beekman  went  to  New  Amstel  to 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  142,  144.  2  Ibid,  p.  00. 


388  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

converse  with  him  in  relation  to  his  making  vessels 
lower  their  colors  as  they  sailed  past  Fort  New  Am- 
stel,  when  he  was  stopped  at  the  door  by  Van  Swer- 
ingen,  who  was  ordered  to  prevent  his  entrance,  al 
though  D'Hinoyossa  was  notified  by  Alricks  of  his 
arrival.  A  small  boy  afterwards  brought  word  to 
Beekman  from  D'Hinoyossa  that  "  he  could  not  speak 
with  him  with  a  good  conscience,  and  advised  him  to 


go  home."1 


1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  135. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

FROM  1602  TO  1664. 

War  between  Minquas  and  Senecas — Dullness  of  trade  thereupon — 
Trial  of  Laers,  the  preacher,  for  breaking  open  Jongh's  room  and 
marrying  himself — His  marriage  declared  illegal — He  appeals  to 
the  Court — First  mill  near  Wilmington — Grant  of  land  at  Iloernkill 
to  Mennonists — New  Amstel  fears  an  attack  from  Indians — Alarm 
thereat — Indian  murders — Friendly  feeling  of  the  Minquas — Mo 
nopoly  of  trade  of  Iloernkill  granted  to  Alricks — Selling  liquor  to 
Indians  forbidden  —  Penalty  —  Disputes  between  Beekman  and 
D'Hinoyossa — Charges  by  the  former  against  the  latter — D'Hino- 
yossa  abuses  Stuyvesant  and  the  Manhattans — Sells  guns  to  sava 
ges — Other  things  to  Maryland — Does  not  keep  a  day  appointed 
by  Stuyvesant  of  fasting  and  prayer — Chooses  one  of  his  own — 
Desires  no  more  orders  from  Manhattan — Is  censured  by  Stuyve 
sant — Hanging  of  a  runaway  servant — Meeting  between  D'Hino 
yossa  and  Governor  of  Maryland — Beekman  continues  to  complain 
of  D'llinoyossa — First  protested  bill  of  exchange — Death  of  Pap- 
pegoya — Small-pox  among  the  savages — First  Frenchman  in  Dela 
ware — The  City  of  Amsterdam  complain  of  their  laborers  being 
enticed  from  New  Amstel  by  the  Company's  Colony — First  land 
grant  in  Wilmington — Victory  of  the  Minquas  over  the  Senecas — 
Pardon  of  Van  Sweringen  for  killing  a  soldier — Mary  landers 
march  on  Iloernkill — Dutch  abandon  it — Duties  levied  at  Iloern 
kill — Baltimore  invites  settlers  there — He  visits  New  Amstel — 
Arrival  of  colonists  from  Holland — Fort  Altona  decaying — City  of 
Amsterdam  requests  that  Altona  and  the  country  above  Christina 
Creek  should  be  ceded  to  them — The  Company  decline  the  con 
ditions — Offer  to  cede  Fort  Christina — They  finally  agree — The 
deed  of  transfer  to  City  of  Amsterdam — Laborers  escaping  from 
City's  Colony  to  Manhattan  to  be  given  up — City  to  send  400  colo 
nists  over — Farms,  cattle,  sheep  and  swine  on  South  river — Death 
of  Hudde. 

THE  war  still  continued  to  wage  between   pi**  on 
the  Senecas  and  the  Minquas,  which  caused 


390  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

a  stagnation  of  trade  on  the  South  river,  as  the  In 
dians,  whilst  engaged  in  slaughtering  each  other,  neg 
lected  their  hunting,  and  therefore  the  procurement 

of  furs. 

On  the  14th  of  April  the  Court  at  Altona  tried  Mr. 
Laers.  the  Finnish  minister,  for  breaking  open  the 
room  and  trunk  of  Jacob  Jorigh,  who  had  eloped  with 
his  wife.  lie  was  also  accused  of  making  an  inven 
tory  of  Jongh's  property,  which  ought  to  have  been 
done  by  the  vice-director  and  the  court,  and  that  by 
so  doing  it  was  alleged  he  "usurped,"  "suspended" 
and  "  vilified  their  authority."  He  was  sentenced  to 
make  good  to  the  Company  what  Jongh  owed,  viz.  : 
200  guilders  in  coin,  40  guilders  in  beaver;  besides  a 
fine  cf  40  guilders  for  having  "  vilified  authority." 
He  was  also  tried  for  having  married  himself,  which 
the  Court  said  "  was  directly  contrary  to  the  orders 
sanctioned  about  marriaere  connections."  His  marriage 

O  t_y 

was  therefore  declared  "null,  void  and  illegal."  Laers 
sent  in  a  statement  to  the  Court,  in  .which  he  says 
he  had  been  condemned  to  "  heavy  amends,"  which, 
in  his  "  poor  situation,"  he  could  by  no  means  pay ; 
that  he  "  paid  already  nearly  200  guilders,"  and  now 
was  again  condemned  to  pay  a  fine  of  280  guilders. 
He  also  alleged  that  he  only  broke  open  the  door 
because  he  was  informed  his  wife  was  concealing  her 
self  there,  and  found  nothing  but  a  few  pairs  of  stock 
ings,  which  the  fugitive  raptor  of  his  wife  had  left 
behind."  He  said  it  was  his  "submissive  petition" 
that  Beekman  "would  make  a  favorable  and  merciful 
intercession  in  his  behalf,"  and  pardon  graciously  what 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  391 

was  committed  "through  ignorance,"  and  to  save  his 
"reputation  and  condition  as  a  minister  not  to  inflict 
any  punishment."  With  regard  to  his  marrying  him 
self  he  said  :  "I  cannot  discover  anything  illegal  in 
it.  I  acted  just  in  the  same  manner  as  I  had  done 
before  in  respect  to  others ;  exactly  as  others  do  who 
are  not  prosecuted  for  it,  and  I  can  conscientiously 
assure  you  that  it  was  done  without  any  evil  inten 
tion.  Had  I  known  that  my  marrying  myself  in  this 
manner  should  have  been  so  unfavorably  interpreted, 
I  should  have  submitted  to  the  usage  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  But  I  did  not  know  it.  Wherefore  I  pray 
once  more  the  honorable  general  that  he  will  vouch 
safe  me  his  aid,  and  "take  into  consideration  my  forlorn 
situation,  so  that  I,  without  becoming  a  burden  to 
others,  may  supply  my  daily  wrants."  As  to  whether 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Laers  was  pardoned,  or  had  his  fine  re 
mitted,  history  is  silent. 

But  it  is  not  silent  in  regard  to  the  injustice  and 
oppression  of  Beekman.  He  has  condemned  himself 
by  his  own  writing.  According  to  the  7th  article  of 
the  terms  of  the  surrender  of  Fort  Christina,  the 
Swedes  and  Finns  remaining  on  the  South  river  were 
to  be  allowed  the  liberty  of  their  national  religion, 
known  as  the  Augsburg  Confession.  Laers  was  not 
compelled  to  conform  to  the  usages  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  marriage ;  but  to  his  own.  The  breaking 
open  of  a  room  and  trunk  to  see  if  his  wife  was  in  the 
one  and-  his  own  goods  (of  which  he  was  robbed  by 
an  adulterer)  in  the  other  were  acts  liable  to  be  com 
mitted  by  any  man  under  such  circumstances,  and  the 


392  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

assumption  that  Jongh  had  left  behind  him  in  that 
trunk  goods  enough  to  pay  the  debts  of  the  Company, 
and  that  they  had  been  taken  and  kept  by  Laers,  was 
most  unwarrantable.  It  should  have  occurred  to  the 
meanest  intellect  that  if  the  adulterer  had  taken  with 
him  the  goods  of  the  husband  whom  he  had  wronged, 
he  would  also  hardly  have  failed  to  have  carried  off 
those  belonging  to  himself  when  they  were  portable 
enough  to  be  contained  in  a  trunk.  It  was  one  of  the 
rankest  cases  of  judicial  injustice  ever  committed  on 
the  Delaware. 

At  this  time  we  see  mention  made  of  the  erection 
of  the  first  mill  in  this  State  north  of  the  Christiana. 
It  was  situated  on  Turtle,  or  SKilpadle,  creek  (now 
called  the  Shelpot),  about  one  and  a  half  Dutch,  or 
four  and  a  half  English,  miles  from  Altona.  John 
Staelcup  petitioned  for  the  land  around  the  mill,  so  that 
he  "  could  attend  to  it  with  greater  safety." 

This  mill  stood  in  1769,  and  was  then  carried  on 
by  a  Swede,  or  Holsteiner,  named  Tapoeise.  Bankers 
and  Sluyter,  the  Labadists,  visited  it  that  year  whilst 
passing  through  Delaware  to  visit  Augustin  Herman 
in  Maryland.  They  describe  Tapoeise  as  short  in 
person,  but  u  a  very  friendly  fellow,"  having  several 
children.  He  is  the  first  miller  in  our  State  of  whom 
history  records  a  description.1 

A  grant  of  land  at  the  Hoernkills  was  made  to  a 
party  of  Mennonists.  The  association  was  to  consist 

1  See  Travels  of  Bankers  and  Sluyter,  in  Memoirs  of  Long  Island 
Historical  Society.  (The  Labadists  were  a  sect  of  Christians  that 
lived  at  one  time  in  Delaware  and  Maryland.)  Also.  O'Calli^han. 
vol.  2,  p.  466. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  393 

of  married  males  and  single   men   who  had  attained 
the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  who  were  not  bound  to 
service  or  indebted  to  the  association.    No  superiority 
or  office  was  to  be  sought  for;  but  all  persons  were 
to  obey  the  ordinances  for  the  "  maintainance  of  peace 
and  concord."     No  minister  of  the  gospel  was  to  be 
allowed  in  the  association,  for  being  composed  of  per 
sons  of  various  religious   opinions,   no   one  minister 
could  preach  in  accordance  with  the  sentiments  of  the 
whole  of  their  community,  and  to  get  one  of  each  sect, 
it  was  argued,  would  not  only  be  impossible,  "but  an 
inevitable  pest  to  all  peace  and  union."     The  number 
that  agreed  to  settle  was  thirty-five  men,  the  principal 
of  whom  was  Pieter  Cornelioz  Plockhoy,  of  Zierikzee. 
The  City  of  Amsterdam  agreed  to  loan  each  of  them 
one   hundred  guilders.     The  whole  community  were 
to  be   security  for  this  loan.     Thus  every  man  was 
surety  for  all  the  rest.     It  is  not  made  manifest  with 
any  degree  of  certainty  on   the  records,  whether  or 
not  any  of  this  association  ever   emigrated  to  Dela 


ware.1 


In  the  early  part  of  September,  New  Amstel  was 
again  alarmed  by  fears  of  an  attack  from  the  savages. 
An  Indian  came  running  into  the  town  severely 
wounded,  to  the  consternation  of  the  inhabitants. 
He  gave  them  to  understand,  as  far  as  he  could,  that 
it  was  done  by  the  Senecas.  A  short  time  afterwards 
an  old  man,  named  Jans  Flons,  whilst  riding  in  the 
woods  with  his  wagon  and  two  horses,  was  shot  and 

1  O'Callaghan,  vol.  2,  p.  466.     Broadhead  and  O'Callaghan,  vol.  2, 
pp.  176,  177. 


394  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

killed.  The  inhabitants  immediately  fled  with  their 
property  to  the  fort.  They  apprehended  an  attack ; 
but  they  were  not  further  molested. 

On  the  17th  of  November  a  youth,  the  servant  of 
John  Stalcup,  was  murdered  about  four  hundred  rods 
from  Fort  Altona.  His  master  had  just  left  him. 
These  murders,  it  was  supposed,  wrere  committed  by 
the  Senecas.  A  small  house  was  at  another  time 
burnt  by  the  savages,  near  New  Amstel.1 

On  the  3d  of  December  three  Minqua  chiefs  visited 
Altona.  They  informed  Beekman  that  the  murderer 
of  the  youth  was  a  young  Seneca  captive.  They  also 
informed  him  that  as  long  as  the  Christians  had  re 
sided  on  the  river,  they  had  never  in  any  manner 
injured  or  offended  them  (the  Minquas);  on  the  con 
trary,  they  showed  them  every  mark  of  friendship, 
and  were  always  willingly  and  cheerfully  employed 
in  reconciling  differences  between  them  and  the  other 
savages.  They  also  told  Beekinan  that  about  three 
years  ago  one  of  their  nation  was  murdered  by  Chris 
tians  at  New  Amstel;  but  they  did  net  resent  it. 
That  they  expected  ere  long  to  their  assistance  about 
eight  hundred  Swedish  Minquas,  of  whom  about  two 
hundred  had  arrived,  so  that  the  next  spring  they 
were  resolved  to  go  and  make  war  on  the  Senecas 
and  attack  them  in  their  forts.  They  solicited  the 
Dutch  to  supply  them  with  ammunition  wrhen  they 
paid  for  it. 

On  the  29th  of  March  D'Hinoyossa  granted  the 
sole  privilege  of  trading  between  Bombay  Hook  and 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  230,  245,  246. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  395 

Cape  Henlopen  to  Peter  Alricks.  The  penalty  for 
violating  this  privilege  was  forfeiture  of  goods.  This 
order  caused  much  discontent  amongst  the  Swedes. 
He  also  prohibited  the  selling  of  liquor  to  the  Indians 
under  a  penalty  of  300  guilders.  If  any  one  sold 
the  Indians  liquor,  they  (the  Indians)  were  to  be 
allowed  to  rob  them  of  it.1 

^The  disputes  between  Beekman  and  D'Hinoyossa 
still  continued.  Beekman,  in  his  letters  to  Stuyves- 
ant,  constantly  reiterated  his  complaints  of  the  con 
duct  of  D'Hinoyossa,  wrho  insisted  on  vessels  lowering 
their  colors  when  they  passed  New  Amstel,  and 
threatened  to  examine  their  cargo.  Beekman,  claim 
ing  the  jurisdiction  over  the  river,  denied  his  right  to 
do  this,  and  in  May  summoned  him  to  appear  before 
him  at  Altona.  This  summons  D'Hinoyossa  disre 
garded.  Beekman  further  charged  him  with  making, 
in  a  tavern,  attacks  on  Stuy  vesant.  Also  with  charg 
ing  the  inhabitants  of  New  Amsterdam  with  bringing 
the  Swedes  to  South  river  by  their  ill  treatment  of 
Minuit,  and  threatening,  if  he  could,  to  drown  or  poison 
the  Manhattans.1 

In  a  letter  to  Stuyvesant  in  June,  he  charges 
D'Hinoyossa  with  taking  away  the  palisades  of  the 
fort  and  burning  them  in  his  brewery;  also,  with  sell 
ing  to  the  savages  the  new  city  guns  which  arrived 
in  the  ship  Parmeland  Church;  also,  with  selling  to 
the  English  in  Maryland  the  city  millstones,  brought 
in  the  same  ship,  for  one  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco, 
and  a  small  brewer's  kettle  for  seven  or  eight  hundred 

1  Albany  Records,  O'Call.,  vol.  2,  p.  465. 


396  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

pounds;  also,  with  railing  against  the  Manhattans 
and  threatening  vengeance.1  These  charges  Beekman 
sustained  by  affidavits. 

In  July  Stuyvesant  proclaimed  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer  in  New  Netherlands,  and  Beekman  corn- 
plained  that  D'Hinoyossa  did  not  publish  it  in  his 
jurisdiction,  giving  as  a  reason  that  his  colony  was 
not  "  especially  mentioned."  About  the  same  time 
D'Hinoyossa  also  issued  a  proclamation  for  fasting  and 
prayer,  but  iu  the  name  of  the  Director  and  Council 
of  New  Amstel  (thus  ignoring  the  power  of  Stuyves 
ant)  ;  but  which,  said  Beekman,  they  "  did  not  keep." 
D'Hinoyossa  also  wrote  to  Beekman,  informing  him 
that  he  expected  from  them  (Stuyvesant  and  the 
other  officers  of  the  company)  "  no  more  similar  or 
ders  or  injunctions;"  but  that  "in  future"  they 
"  would  take  care  of  it"  for  themselves,  and  for  that 
purpose  they  had  "  established  a  quarterly  prayer 
day."2 

In  a  letter  written  by  Beekman  in  August  he  says 
"  he  cannot  live  on  good  terms  with  D'Hinoyossa." 
Stuyvesant  also  severely  censured  his  conduct  in  a 
letter  to  the  directors  in  Holland.  They  had  written 
to  Stuyvesant.  complaining  "  of  certain  proposed  pro 
posals,  and  defence  against  the  savages,  and  a  di 
visional  line  by  Maryland,"  which  they  said  they 
never  passed.  Stuyvesant,  in  a  letter  dated  July  15, 
in  reply,  said  :  "As  to  what  passed  between  Mary 
land  and  D'Hinoyossa  remains  a  secret.  Beekman 
gave,  it  is  true,  some  communications  that  in  conse- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  158,  159.  «  Ibid.  p.  195. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  397 

quence  of  the  murder  of  two  or  three  English,  going 
from  New  Amstel  to  Maryland,  trouble  and  some  war 
had  arisen  between  them,  which  caused  certain  cor 
respondence,  and  some  embassies  sent  vice  versa  by 
D'Hinoyossa  and  the  Governor  of  Maryland  ;  but  all 
this  without  any  action  with  us  or  Beekman,  so  we 
are  ignorant  about  it.  Daily  occurrences  prove  that 
D'Hinoyossa  is  either  too  ignorant  or  too  great  in  his 
own  eyes  to  consult  your  ministers  on  those  or  other  such 
like  affairs." 

In  September  there  was  a  runaway  servant  hung, 
the  first  execution  we  have  any  record  of  in  this 
State.  From  the  loose  structure  of  the  language  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  say  who  hung  him  or  for  what 
he  was  hung.  It  rather  conveys  the  impression  that 
he  was  hung  by  the  Indians ;  but  a  letter  from  the 
directors  in  Holland  to  Stuyvesant,  written  April  16, 
1G63,  gives  the  impression  that  D'Hinoyossa  hung 
him  for  the  crime  of  running  away,  though  this  it 
is  difficult  to  believe. 

Beekman,  writing  to  Stuyvesant,  says :  "  On  the 
I9th  was  hung,  the  head  cut  off  and  placed  on  a 
stake,  in  the  presence  of  "  French,"  one  of  the  English 
runaway  servants,  and  bought  by  Peter  Alricks  at 
Hoernkill  from  the  savages.  When  these  were  to  be 
conducted  to  New  Amstel  by  some  English,  French 
made  an  attack  upon  them  near  Bompjes  (Bombay) 
Hook,  wounded  two,  when  they  fled  out  of  the  boat; 
but  were  again  overtaken  at  New  Amstel,  where  they 
were  apprehended  by  orders  of  D'Hinoyossa,  when 
on  the  3d  the  English  masters  departed ;  but  D'Hin- 


398  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

oyossa  refused  to  deliver  French  to  them,  because  he 
committed,  as  he  suspected,  a  delict  in  the  distance 
of  the  colony.  I  sustained  that  the  case  belonged  to 
your  honor's  jurisdiction,  as  the  deed  was  committed 
on  the  river  and  not  in  the  colony.  Van  Sweringen 
was  sitting  as  judge  in  the  case."1  The  directors  in 
Holland,  writing  to  Stuy  vesant,  say :  "  The  com 
plaints  which  have  been  made  against  the  director  of 
this  city,  Alexander  D'Hinoyossa,  and  the  sheriff, 
Gerritt  Van  Sweringen,  and  their  proceedings  there 
in  executing  and  hanging  a  runaivay  servant  who  resided 
before  in  New  Netherlands,  is  strange!''1 

In  November  D'Hinoyossa  and  Van  Sweringen  left 
suddenly  in  a  shallop  to  meet  Calvert,  the  Governor 
of  Maryland,  at  the  house  of  Augustin  Herman. 
They  went  there  in  obedience  to  a  request  by  letter 
from  Calvert.  They  gave  no  information  of  this 
movement  either  to  Beekrnan  or  Stuyvesant,  The 
information  in  relation  to  this  meeting  was  sent  to 
Beekman  by  a  Mr.  J.  Willems,  who  appeared  to  be 
a  sort  of  spy  in  the  service  of  Beekman  at  New  Am- 
stel.  Willems,  like  most  spies,  determined  to  earn 
his  wages.  He  narrowly  watched  every  action  of 
D'Hinoyossa  and  reported  them  all  to  Beekman.  He 
described  a  meeting  in  the  valley  near  Fort  New  Am- 
stel,  where  D'Hinoyossa  and  several  persons  who 
were  with  him  "lifted  up  their  eyes  towards  heaven, 
laid  their  hands  upon  their  breasts,"  and  did  several 
other  unnecessary  and  unmeaning  things,  from  which 
Willems  suspected  they  were  plotting  evil  to  the  com- 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  243,  244.  2  Ibid.  128. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.          ,  399 

pmiy    of   the   colony.      This    Willems    died    shortly 
afterwards. 

Mrs.  Pappegoya,  the  daughter  of  Governor  Printz, 
who  had  since  lived  at  her  father's  place  at  Tinnicum, 
where  was  situated  the  Finnish  village  of  Printzdorp, 
sold  it  to  Mr.  LaGrange.  A  part  of  the  purchase 
money  was  a  bill  of  exchange,  which  was  protested. 
Suit  was  entered  on  this  bill  of  exchange  before 
Beekman  at  Altona,  who  gave  judgment  against  La- 
Grange.  This  was  the  first  known  protested  bill  on 
the  Delaware,  and  the  first  case  tried  on  any  written 
obligation  within  the  limits  of  the  territory  constitu 
ting  this  State.  An  appeal  \vas  taken,  and  Tinnicum 
island  and  the  Printz  property  was  afterwards  the 
cause  of  a  great  deal  of  litigation  between  the  Mrs. 
Pappegoya  and  others.  There  is  some  evidence  to 
show  that  at  this  time  her  husband,  Pappegoya,  had 
died.  Mrs.  Pappegoya  lived  alone,  and  the  fact  of 
his  decease  is  mentioned  by  the  Labadists,  Dankers 
and  Sluyter,  who  visited  Tinnicum  in  1679.  But 
history  neither  records  the  time,  nor  place,  nor  cir 
cumstances  of  the  death  of  the  fourth  governor  of 
Delaware. 

The  first  letter  written  by  Beekman  this 
year  was  one  filled  with  the  usual  complaints 
of  the  conduct  of  D'Hinoyossa.  "  He  sells  every 
thing  for  which  he  can  find  a  purchaser,"  says  Beek 
man  ;  "  even  powder  and  musket  balls  from  the 
magazine;  I  know  that  he  sold  a  considerable  quan 
tity  to  Augustin  Herman,  besides  nails  belonging  to 
the  city,"  &c.  And  again  he  says  :  "  D'Hinoyossa  con- 


400    .         HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

siders  us  his  mortal  enemies."  He  rejected  a  surgeon 
because  he  was  a  friend  of  Beekman. 

In  the  early  part  of  February  the  small-pox  ap 
peared  amongst  the  savages  on  the  South  river.  This 
is  the  first  mention  of  small-pox  on  the  Delaware. 
We  have  now,  too,  mention  made  of  the  first  French 
man  in  Delaware.  His  name  was  Pickard.  He 
owned  a  house  and  land  in  Altona,  which  he  sold  and 
then  removed  away.1 

In  February  also  the  duty  of  four  stivers  on  a 
beaver,  levied  on  the  trade  of  South  river  by  the  com 
pany,  was  abandoned,  and  left  for  the  benefit  of  New 
Amstel. 

The  records,  whilst  they  abound  with  the*  com 
plaints  of  Beekrnan  on  the  conduct  of  D'Hinoyossa, 
show  little  or  no  complaint  of  D'Hinoyossa  against 
him.  But  from  this  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  his 
letters  showed  one  mite  more  of  satisfaction  at  the 
acts  of  Beekman,  than  those  of  Beekman  did  of  him. 
Beekman's  letters,  which  so  minutely  detail  the  his 
tory  of  the  territory  that  now  constitutes  this  State 
whilst  under  the  rule  of  the  Dutch,  were  written  to 
Stuyvesant,  in  New  Amsterdam,  and  are  therefore 
preserved  in  the  New  York  Archives ;  whilst  those 
of  D'Hinoyossa  were  written  to  the  Burgomasters  of 
Amsterdam,  in  Holland,  and  were  not  therefore  as 
well  kept,  or  so  conveniently  within  our  reach.  It  is 
more  than  probable  they  censured  the  conduct  of 
Beekman  as  bitterly  as  those  of  Beekman  did  his. 
Now  and  then  a  complaint  of  D'Hinoyossa  was  laid 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  260. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  401 

by  the  Burgomasters  of  Amsterdam  before  the  Direc 
tors  of  the  Company.  In  a  letter  from  them  to  Stuy- 
vesant,  they  allude  to  "  the  repeated  complaints  of 
the  commissaries  that  the  Company's  government  in 
New  Netherlands  seemed  to  make  it  a  study  to  oppose 
the  colony  of  the  city — to  prevent  its  growth,"  and 
alleged,  amongst  other  examples,  that  they  "did  pro 
tect  the  colonists  who,  from  time  to  time,  escaped 
from  the  city's  colony,  and  hired  by  sinister  means 
their  best  and  ablest  farmers  from  there."  This,  as 
they  alleged,  had  actually  been  practised  by  one 
Brex  Wolters.  "  Said  commissaries  entreated  us 
most  seriously,  as  they  had  again  concluded  to  send 
there  fifty  laborers  and  twelve  girls  for  the  service  of 
the  colony,  not  only  that  similar  measures  might  not 
again  be  put  in  practice,  but  farther,  if  any  of  them 
within  three  years  might  escape  from  the  service  in 
the  colony  to  the  Manhattans,  they  might  be  sent 
back  again." 

On  the  17th  of  May  a  grant  of  a  small  valley, 
situated  on  the  west  side  of  Fort  Altona,  together 
with  some  woodland,  in  all  eight  m organs,  or  fifty  six 
acres,  was  made  to  Beekman  by  Stuyvesant.  This 
is  the  first  recorded  grant  of  land  to  an  individual 
within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Wilmington  that  we 
have  an  account  of.  From  its  description  we  should 
judge  that  it  extended  from  Church  street  to  Walnut 
street,  and  from  the  Christiana  probably  to  near  Ninth 
street,  as-  the  grants  generally  at  that  time  far  ex 
ceeded  the  estimated  measurement,  and  a  great  part 
of  what  is  now  firm  land  was  covered  by  the  Chris- 

20 


402  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

tiana,  as  well  at  low  as  at  high  .tide.  The  hill  that 
commences  at  Walnut  street  would  form  a  valley  be 
tween  Fort  Christiana  and  French  street.1 

In  the  early  part  of  June  a  battle  took  place  be 
tween  the  Minqua  and  Seneca  Indians.  "  The  Sene- 
cas,  to  the  number  of  eight  hundred,  blockaded  the 
Minquas  in  their  fort  whilst  a  large  proportion  of  their 
number  were  out  hunting.  When  the  Senecas  ap 
proached,  three  or  four  men  were  despatched  to  the 
fort  with  the  offer  of  peace,  while  their  force  remained 
at  a  distance;  but  a  Minqua  returning  from  hunting 
discovered  the  Senecas,  so  that  the  next  day  those  in 
the  fort  concluded  to  meet  them  with  twenty  or  thirty 
men.  The  other  Minquas  at  the  same  time,  w7ith 
their  forces,  made  an  attack,  put  the  Senecas  to  flight, 
and  pursued  them  for  two  days,  retaking  ten  persons 
and  killing  ten  Senecas."  The  Governor  o(  Maryland 
assisted  the  Minquas  with  two  cannon  and  four  men 
to  manage  them.  The  accounts  of  this  battle  handed 
down  to  us  are  confused.  It  is  more  than  probable 
the  assistance  rendered  by  the  Marylanders  contribu 
ted  to  the  Minquas  victory.  The  site  of  the  battle 
is  not  definitely  known;  but  it  is  supposed  to  have 
been  within  the  limits  of  the  State.  Probably  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Iron  or  Chestnut  Hill,  near  Newark, 
as  the  Minquas  fort  was  situated  on  a  high  mountain. 
These  hills  answer  best  to  the  description  given  by 
Campanius  as  the  site  of  the  Minquas  stronghold. 

Gerritt  Van  Sweringen,  the  sheriff  and  counsellor, 
had  shot  and  killed  an  insolent  soldier.  On  the  1st 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  21,  p.  108. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  403 

of  June  a  vessel  arrived  from  Holland,  pardoning  him 
for  the  offence.1 

About  this  time  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that  the 
Governor  of  Maryland  fitted  out  an  expedition  to 
attack  the  Dutch  settlement  at  the  Hoernkill.  It  is 
generally  supposed  to  have  taken  place  in  1661  ;  but 
it  was  more  than  probable  this  year.  As  the  Mary- 
landers  advanced  the  Dutch  settlers  withdrew  and 
abandoned  the  Hoernkill.  Duties  were  also  levied 
on  the  trade  of  the  South  river  at  the  Hoernkill  at 
this  time,2  and  encouragement  was  given  by  Baltimore 
to  those  who  desired  to  make  settlements  there,  and 
Col.  William  Stevens  was  authorized  by  him  to  in 
duce  emigrants  to  take  up  land  in  the  vicinity.3 

On  the  9th  of  August  Lord  Baltimore  visited  New 
Amstel,  with  a  suit  consisting  of  twenty-six  or  twenty- 
seven  persons.  On  the  llth  and  12th  of  August  he 
visited  Altona,  where  he  was  entertained  by  Beekman. 
Stuyvesant  made  him  an  offer,  through  Beekman,  of 
a  convoy  and  horses  if  he  visited  Manhattan.  He 
returned  his  thanks  for  the  offer,  and  promised  if  he 
visited  Boston  in  the  spring,  a  matter  he  had  in  con 
templation,  to  go  by  way  of  Manhattan. 

In  August  a  vessel  arrived  at  New  Amstel  from 
New  Amsterdam  with  farmer's  instruments  of  indus 
try  and  ammunition  for  the  City's  Colony.4  This  was 
probably  the  ship  Jacob.5  The  same  month  Beekman 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  280. 

2  Griffith's  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Maryland,  p.  22. 

3  NeilPs  Terras  Marise,  p.  161. 

4  Smith's  New  York,  p.  113.  6  Albany  Records. 


404  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

informed  Stuyvesantthat  Fort  Altona  (Christina)  was 
out  of  repair,  that  the  palisades  and  the  whole  fort 
was  in  decay. 

The  difficulties  between  the  officers  of  the  Com 
pany  at  Altona  and  the  Colony  of  the  City  at  New 
Amstel  induced  the  City  of  Amsterdam  to  endeavor 
to  get  Altona  assigned  to  them,  and  have  the  whole 
of  the  South  river  under  their  jurisdiction.  They  had 
made  a  proposition  to  the  Director  of  the  Company  to 
that  effect  in  February,  in  which,  amongst  other  arti 
cles,  they  stipulated  that  when  Altona  should  be 
assigned  to  them,  their  jurisdiction  and  property  of 
the  land  should  be  from  where  the  South  river  entered 
the  sea  to  its  head.  Their  property  on  the  west  side 
of  the  South  river  they  desired  should  extend  to 
Baltimore's  line.  On  the  east,  or  New  Jersey  side, 
they  wnshed  it  extended  from  the  river  three  miles 
into  the  country ;  and  that  to  this  territory  the  Com 
pany  "  should  renounce  and  quit  every  claim ;"  that 
they  (the  City  of  Amsterdam)  should  have  "  all  the 
rights  of  high  and  low  jurisdiction  which  the  Com 
pany  possessed,"  provided  that  they  paid  to  the  Com 
pany  "  the  recognitions  which  were  actually  paid  from 
all  imports  and  exports,  without  being  obliged  to  bring 
their  goods  into  the  Company's  magazine."  They 
desired  "  not  to  be  visited  by  the  Company's  commis 
saries  ;"  but  "  that  the  Company  should  remain  satis 
fied  with  the  declarations  "  of  the  City's  "  commissary 
or  director,"  and  that  "  nothing  should  be  paid  to  the 
South  river ;"  neither  should  "'  the  Company  claim 
any  authority  upon  it."  The  Company  at  first  de- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  405 

clined  to  grant  the  whole  of  the  colony,  although 
they  offered  to  assign  to  the  city  Fort  Christina.  They 
also  refused  to  agree  to  the  non-bringing  of  the  goods 
into  the  Company's  magazines,  and  the  non-visiting 
of  the  city's  cargoes  by  the  Company's  officers,  and 
the  paying  of  nothing  on  the  South  river;  also  to 
some  others  of  the  articles. 

The  dangers  from  the  English,  however,  both  north 
and  south,  finally  induced  them  to  cede  the  balance 
of  the  South  river  to  the  City  of  Amsterdam.  Ac 
cordingly,  on  the  llth  of  September  the  agreement 
between  them  was  entered  into,  and  on  the  22d  of 
December  Stuyvesant  made  a  formal  transfer  of  Al- 
tona  to  D'Hinoyossa,  as  the  agent  of  that  city. 
D'Hinoyossa  had  left  Holland  some  months  pre 
viously,  and  on  the  3d  of  September  had  returned  to 
the  South  river,  in  company  with  Peter  Alricks,  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty  passengers,  nearly  all  of  whom 
were  Swedes  and  Finns.  There  were  thirty-two  of 
the  latter  nation.1 

In  making  this  transfer  of  the  remaining  portion 
of  the  State  of  Delaware  to  the  City  of  Amsterdam, 
the  West  India  Company  thought  that  that  city  would 
u  prove  a  wall  between  them  and  the  English  of 
Maryland;"  would  increase  the  influence  of  New 
Netherlands  with  the  States  General  and  prevent  the 
bickerings  between  the  officers  of  the  city  and  Com 
pany  in  relation  to  jurisdiction,  as  the  city  would 
thus  have  sole  control  of  the  South  river,  by  which 
the  remaining  portions  of  our  State,  as  well  as  other 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  233. 


406  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

territory,  was  transferred  from  the  possession  of  the 
West  India  Company  to  the  City  of  Amsterdam.  It 
comprised  all  that  portion  of  Delaware  north  of  the 
Christina,  and  consisted  of  the  City  of  Wilmington  and 
the  Hundreds  of  Brandywine,  Christina,  Mill  Creek, 
White  Clay  Creek,  and  a  small  part  of  Pencader. 

The  territory  that  constituted  the  State  thus  passed 
entirely  under  the  control  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam, 
with  the  exception  of  that  portion  that  lies  between 
Cape  Henlopen  and  the  Maryland  line  that  fronts  on 
the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  which  was  more  than  probable 
at  this  time  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Baltimore.  The 
following  is  a  copy  of  the  deed  of  grant : 

"  Peter  Stuy  vesant,  in  behalf  of  their  High,  Mighty 
Lords,  State  General  of  the  United  Netherlands,  and 
the  Lords  Directors  of  the  Council,  attest  and  declare 
how  we  this  day,  in  conformity  with  their  orders  and 
letters  of  aforesaid  Lords  Directors  of  the  llth  of 
September,  1663,  transported,  surrendered  and  trans 
ferred  to  the  Honorable  Alexander  D'Hinoyossa,  in 
behalf  of  the  noble,  great  and  respected  Lords,  Bur 
gomasters  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam,  Director  in 
their  colony  on  the  South  river,  from  the  sea  upwards, 
so  far  as  that  river  extends  itself,  towards  the  country 
on  the  east  side,  three  miles  from  the  borders  of  the 
river,  and  towards  the  west  side  so  far  as  the  country 
is  extending  till  it  reaches  the  English  Colonies,  with 
all  the  streams,  hills,  creeks,  harbors,  bays,  and  parts 
relative  to  it,  of  all  which  land,  with  all  its  depen 
dencies,  especially  so  of  the  Fortress  of  Altona,  we? 
in  the  name  and  behalf  of  the  aforesaid  Lords  Direc- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  407 

tors,  make  at  this  time  a  full  cession  and  transfer  to 
the  aforesaid  Alexander  D'Hinoyossa,  on  behalf  of 
the  noble,  great,  and  respectable  Burgomasters  of  the 
City  of  Amsterdam  aforesaid,  making  to  him  a  cession 
of  all  actual  and  real  possession,  property  and  privi 
leges  ;  and  all  this  upon  such  conditions  as  have  been 
agreed  upon  between  the  noble  Lords  Directors  and 
others  and  the  noble,  great  and  respectful  Burgomas 
ters  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam,  without  reserving 
any  actual  or  real  pretensions,  promising  therefore  to 
consider  and  keep  this  transfer  inviolate  in  truth; 
wherefore  we  signed  it  and  confirmed  it  with  our  seal 
in  red  wax,  imprinted  in  the  Fort  Amsterdam,  in  New 
Netherlands,  22d  December,  1663."1 

The  Company  had  agreed,  before  they  resolved  to 
transfer  New7  Amstel,  not  to  admit  within  their  juris 
diction  "any  colonists  of  the  city,  or  its  laborers," 
except  they  "  could  show  their  pass  and  prove  by  cer 
tificate  that  the  city  had  received  payment  of  her 
advance  money."  They  instructed  Stuyvesant  to 
consider  private  debts  as  "  personal  matters."  The 
City,  in  its  agreement  with  the  Company,  agreed  to 
settle  on  the  South  river  four  hundred  colonists  and 
other  useful  husbandmen,  and  held  out  the  impression 
that  they  would  send  out  a  greater  number.  This, 
said  the  Directors,  in  a  communication  to  Stuyvesant, 
"  must  contribute  to  our  security  against  the  English 
north."  "  Besides,"  said  they,  "  we  may  expect  a 
more  powerful  intercession  of  the  city  by  our  govern- 
in  cut  to  obtain  from  the  Crown  of  England  the  final 

1  Albany  Records,  vol.  21,  p.  445. 


408  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

settlement  of  the  long  desired  boundaries."  In  ob 
taining  the  assignment  of  Altona,  the  City  of  Amster 
dam  "  reserved  to  herself  alone  "  the  "  exclusive  com 
merce"  of  the  South  river.  This  alarmed  several  of 
the  merchants  of  New  Amsterdam,  for  fear  the  com 
merce  of  the  Manhattans  might  be  diverted  to  another 
channel.  This  fear,  however,  was  without  foundation, 
as  the  intention  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam,  by  reserv 
ing  the  exclusive  commerce  of  this  river,  "  was  only 
to  insure  cargoes  for  the  ships  which  she  sent  over 
with  the  laborers  and  colonists." 

The  West  India  Company  could  hardly  have  been 
aware  of  the  extent  of  their  grant  to  the  city.  It 
extended  up  the  Delaware  to  near  the  Catskill  Moun 
tains  in  New  York,  in  latitude  between  41  arid  42 
degrees ;  and  as  Baltimore's  grant  did  not  extend  be 
yond  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude,  ihe  City  of 
Amsterdam  would  by  this  deed  have  obtained  posses 
sion  of  nearly  the  whole  of  Pennsylvania  and  a  large 
portion  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  might  even 
hare  extended  to  the  Pacific  unless  the  Virginians 
had  interfered  with  them  in  the  progress  westward. 

On  the  South  river  at  this  time,  according  to  the 
report  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  City  of  Amster 
dam,  the  Swedes,  Finns,  and  other  nations  had  estab 
lished  about  110  good  boweries  or  farms,  which  had  a 
stock  of  2,000  cows  and  oxen,  20  horses,  80  sheep, 
and  several  thousand  swine.  It  was  recommended 
that  no  Hollander  should  be  employed  in  agriculture ; 
but  that  Swedes,  Finns,  and  other  foreign  nations 
should  be  induced  to  emigrate  to  the  South  river  for 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  409 

that  purpose.  The  city  was  to  offer  to  lend  such 
people  sufficient  to  pay  their  passage  and  purchase 
agricultural  implements.1 

Most  of  the  emigrants  who  arrived  in  the  Parme- 
land  Church  with  D'PIinoyossa  were  Swedes  and 
Finns,  who  were  aided  by  the  City  of  Amsterdam  in 
this  manner. 

The  Dutch  of  Delaware  at  this  time  brewed  a  great 
deal  of  strong  beer,  which  was  sold  to  the  Maryland- 
ers  (who  did  not  manufacture  any)  for  tobacco. 

On  the  4th  of  November  Andreas  Hudde,  who 
figured  so  prominently  in  the  early  portion  of  our 
history,  died  at  Appoquinimy,  which  was  then  the 
name  of  Appoquinimink.  He  had  been  a  faithful 
servant  of  the  Dutch  for  many  years,  and  his  services 
were  appreciated  by  them ;  but  he  had  been  robbed 
and  all  his  property  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  and  he 
had  sunk  from  the  position  of  commissary,  or  gover 
nor,  to  that  of  clerk.  He  petitioned  for  his  discharge 
as  clerk,  and  it  being  granted,  had  left  Altona  on  the 
1st  of  November  and  was  going  by  way  of  Appo- 
quinimy  to  Maryland,  where  he  intended  engaging  in 
the  brewing  business ;  but  he  died  before  he  reached 
there  of  an  "  ardent  fever."  His  first  service  under 
the  Dutch  was  as  surveyor  at  Manhattan,  1642,  from 
which  station  he  was  removed;  in  1645  he  was  com 
missary  of  Fort  Nassau,  since  which  time  he  had 
been  identified  with  the  Dutch  interest  on  the  South 
river.2 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan.  vol.  2,  pp.  210,  211. 
'Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  p.  309. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

1664. 

Resignation  of  Beekman — Absolves  Swedes  from  their  oaths — They 
are  summoned  to  New  Amstcl  to  take  a  new  oath — They  refuse — 
Allowed  eight  days  to  leave  or  take  the  oath — Farm  offered  to 
Beekman — He  declines — He  begs  office  of  Stuyvesant — Is  made 
sheriff  of  Esopus — D'Hinoyossa  sole  governor  of  South  river — In 
tends  building  his  capitol  at  Appoquiniminy  (supposed  to  be  Odes 
sa) — Intends  constructing  dykes  around  valleys — Appoints  Alricks 
superintendent  of  fur  trade — Prohibits  brewing  and  distilling — 
All  goods  exported  to  pay  recognitions — Order  of  boundaries — 
Swedes  fit  out  an  expedition  to  recover  Delaware — Vessels  run 
ashore — Expedition  abandoned — Grant  of  territory  between  the 
Delaware  and  St.  Croix  to  Duke  of  York — Under  it  no  grant  of 
Delaware — Duke  of  York  grants  New  Jersey  to  Berkley  and  Car- 
teret — Swedes  present  memorial  to  States  of  Holland  in  relation 
to  New  Sweden — Expedition  fitted  out  under  Col.  Nichols — Slaves 
for  New  Amstel  arrive  in  New  Amsterdam — Capture  of  Manhat 
tan  by  Col.  Nichols — Name  of  New  Amsterdam  changed  to  New- 
York — Narrow  escape  of  New  Amstel  slaves — Surrender  of  town 
of  New  Amstel  to  Sir  Robert  Carr— Terms— D'Hinoyossa  refuses 
to  surrender— Retires  to  the  fort— Storming  of  the  fort— Three  of 
the  garrison  killed  and  ten  wounded— It  is  plundered— Name  of 
New  Amstel  changed  to  New  Castle— The  South  river  to  Dela 
ware — Fort  Altona  to  its  old  name  of  Christina — Destruction  of 
Fort  New  Amstel  (Casimer)— Slaves  divided  amongst  captors- 
Murders  by  Indians— Momentous  consequences  of  fall  of  Dutch 
power  in  Delaware — Author's  prediction — Destiny  of  Anglo  Saxon 
race— Plan  of  union  of  (note)  Confiscation  of  property  of  D'Hino 
yossa,  Alricks  and  Van  Sweringen— D'Hinoyossa  and  Van  Swer- 
ingen  retire  to  Maryland— D'Hinoyossa' s  letter— Goes  to  Hol 
land,  &c. 

[16041        ALTHOUGH  Altona  had  been  transferred  to 
the   City   of  Amsterdam,  and   it  and    New 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  411 

Amstel  were  both  under  the  governorship  of  Alex 
ander  D'Hinoyossa,  Beekman  continued  to  act  as 
Governor  of  Altona  until  the  5th  of  June,  when  the 
Swedes  and  Finns  were  summoned  to  appear  at  Fort 
Altona,  and  he  then  resigned  his  office. 

On  the  9th  of  June  the  Swedish  deputies  and  a 
great  part  of  the  Finns  assembled  at  Altona,  and  at 
their  request  were  absolved  by  Beekman  from  the 
previous  oath  they  had  taken.  They  were  much 
dissatisfied  at  the  change  and  made  use  of  the  ex 
pression  :  "  We  are  now  sold — deliver  us."  A  new 
oath  was  proposed  to  them  by  the  directors  and  coun 
cil  on  the  8th  of  June,  in  the  presence  of  Beekman, 
to  be  taken  at  New  Amstel.  This  they  unanimously 
refused  to  take,  unless  they  received  previously  in 
writing  a  promise  of  "  all  such  privileges  of  free  trade 
and  others  as  they  lucre  favored  with  under  the  Com 
pany  s  administration!'  Without  this  they  said  they 
would  be  "  compelled  to  depart."  Eight  days  were 
allowed  them  for  consideration,  when  all  who  did  not 
take  the  oath  would  be  compelled  to  leave  the  South 
river.1 

D'Hinoyossa,  under  the  City  of  Amsterdam,  was 
now  the  sole  governor  of  the  whole  South  river,  on 
both  its  eastern  and  western  shores,  and  Beekman 
was  out  of  office.  Pie,  however,  offered  to  Beekman, 
if  he  would  stay  at  Altona  and  take  possession  of  the 
great  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  to  provide  him 
with  some  five  or  six  men  servants.  This  Beekman 
declined,  as  he  could  see  no  good  that  would  result 

1  Albany  Records. 


412  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

from  it,  "as  in  future,"  he  said,  "  no  freeman  would 
be  permitted  to  trade  either  with  the  English  or  sav 
ages,  and  the  tobacco  or  fur  trade  was  reserved  for 
the  city." 

He  wrote  pitifully  to  Stuyvesant  for  an  office,  tell 
ing  him  he  "  could  not  live  "  on  the  South  river  "  as 
a  freeman  and  support  his  family,  and  did  not  wish  to 
go  to  Maryland."  He  wound  up  his  appeal  by  saying, 
"  take  care  of  me,  father."1 

A  short  time  after  this  Beekrnan  took  his  departure 
for  Esopus,  of  which  place  he  was  appointed  sheriff. 
He  was  continued  in  office  under  the  English  govern 
ment,  and  afterwards  became  an  alderman  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  where  one  of  the  principal  streets 
(Beekman  street)  is  named  after  him.  He  died  in 
that  city,  at  the  age  of  85,  in  the  year  1707.  He 
must  have  had  a  numerous  family,  as  during  his  brief 
residence  at  Altona  he  had  three  sons  born.  A 
daughter  of  his  married  a  son  of  Stuyvesant.  In 
speaking  of  him,  Acrelius  says  : 

"  While  the  colonies  were  kept  up,  Beekman  had 
a  share  in  the  administration ;  but  was  little  consid 
ered.  This  made  him  envious  of  D'Hinoyossa,  whom 
he  aspersed  in  frequent  letters  to  Stuyvesant." 

Many  of  his  charges  are,  however,  supported  by 
evidence.  His  letters  to  Stuyvesant  form  a  most 
minute  history  of  affairs  in  this  State  at  that  time. 
After  his  removal  to  Esopus  they,  of  course,  ceased. 

D'Hinoyossa,  now  the  sole  governor  on  the  Dela- 

1  Letter  from  Wm.  Beekman  to  Peter  Stuyvesant.     See  Hazard's 
Annals,  p.  355. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  413 

ware,  determined  to  take  up  his  residence  in  Appo- 
quinimy,  and  there  build  his  capital.  Here  it  was 
determined  to  erect  a  large  stone  fort  and  promote 
trade  with  the  English.1  He  resolved  to  construct 
dykes  around  several  valleys  in  that  vicinity,  which 
Beekman,  before  he  left,  informed  Stuyvesant  "  the 
savages  would  be  much  opposed  to."  He  appointed 
Peter  Alricks  to  superintend  the  fur  trade  and  reside 
at  New  Amstel ;  a  man  named  Israel,  a  member  of 
the  Council,  to  reside  at  the  upper  end  of  Passajong 
(changed  to  Passyunk — now  part  of  the  1st  and  26th 
Wards  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia),  and  another  mem 
ber  of  the  Council  to  superintend  the  trade  at  the 
Hoerakill.  He  also  prohibited  brewing  and  distilling  in 
the  colony  even  for  domestic  use,  and  ordered  that  all 
goods  and  tobacco  exported  should  pay  recognition.2 

The  slave  trade  was  now  engaged  in.  The  city  of 
Amsterdam  entered  into  partnership  with  the  West 
India  Company  to  engage  in  this  traffic.  On  the  20th 
of  January  they  made  a  contract  with  Lymen  Gylde 
to  bring  from  Loango,  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  in  the 
ship  Gideon,  three  hundred  slaves.  The  city  was  to 
receive  one-fourth  of  these  slaves  when  they  arrived 
for  the  use  of  the  colony  on  the  South  river.3 

On  the  23d  of  January  an  order  issued  by  the 
State  General  claimed  that  New  Netherlands  on  the 
South  river  extended  sixteen  leagues  south  of  Cape 

1  D'Hinoyossa's  capital  was  undoubtedly  the   present   village  of 
Odessa,  at  the  end  of  Herman's  Cart  .Road. 

2  Albany  Records,  vol.  17,  pp.  317,  318. 

3  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  222. 


414  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Henlopen.  The  Swedes,  who  had  apparently  aban 
doned  their  possessions  on  the  South  river,  now  fitted 
out  an  expediti.n  for  their  recovery.  The  Dutch, 
however,  who  seem  to  have  had  efficient  spies  in 
Sweden,  were  early  informed  of  their  intention,  and 
in  a  letter  dated  the  16th  of  October,  1663,  had  given 
information  of  the  matter  to  Stuyvesant. 

This  expedition  consisted  %of  a  frigate  called  the 
Falcon,  of  thirty -two  guns,  and  a  yacht  of  eight  or 
ten  guns,  manned,  in  addition  to  the  customary  crew, 
by  two  hundred  or  more  soldiers,  who  were  to  be 
taken  on  whilst  passing  the  Sound.  This  expedi 
tion  was  commanded  by  the  Swedish  Vice-Admiral, 
Hendrick  Gerritson  Lesselin,  or  Lechelm,  who  was 
well  acquainted  with  New  Netherlands,  having  been 
employed  there  in  1641  in  the  ship  Neptunis,  from 
Curacao. 

Had  it  arrived  at  the  South  river,  the  Dutch 
would  have  been  able  to  have  made  but  a  poor  de 
fense,  as  both  Forts  Altona  and  New  Amstel  were  in 
a  state  of  decay,  having  but  few  pieces  of  cannon. 
The  Swedes  and  Finns,  too,  on  the  Delaware,  and 
who  were  dissatisfied  with  their  rule,  far  outnumbered 
the  Dutch  inhabitants.  Indeed,  the  latest  emigrants, 
who  arrived  on  the  ship  Parmeland  Church,  were 
nearly  all  Swedes  and  Finns,  who  could  not  be  ex 
pected  to  fight  against  their  own  countrymen.  This 
expedition,  whilst  on  its  way  to  New  Netherlands, 
met  with  such  disasters' that  it  had  to  be  abandoned. 
It  first  ran  aground  on  the  Landts  Croon,  situated 
near  Heisselberg,  in  Denmark,  at  the  north  entrance 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  415 

of  the  Sound,  and  having  miraculously  got  off  and 
parsed  the  Sound,  it  again  ran  aground  on  what  is 
supposed  to  be  the  Island  of  Anholt,  where  the  small 
est  vessel  was  wrecked,  with  all  her  stores.  The 
Falcon  unshipped  her  compasses  and  found  it  neces 
sary  to  run  for  Gottenberg,  when  she  again  went 
ashore  and  was  so  injured  that  she  had  to  be  dis 
mantled.  Her  crew  were,  therefore,  discharged,  and 
the  expedition  given  up.  Thus  ended  the  last  attempt 
of  the  Swedes  by  force  of  arms  to  recover  their  pos 
sessions  on  the  South  river. 

Stuyvesant  did  not  think  the  City  and  Company 
exerted  themselves  sufficiently  to  resist  this  threatened 
attack.  In  writing  to  them  in  relation  to  this  expe 
dition,  he  says:  "It  excites  in  ourselves  strange  emo 
tion  that  your  Honors  and  the  Worshipful  Commis 
sioners  over  the  City's  Colony,  w?ho  have  had  such 
long  and  particular  knowledge  and  information  of  this 
meditated  expedition,  and  did  not,  conjointly,  imme 
diately  and  instantly  request  and  apply  to  the  Lords 
of  the  Admiralty  residing  at  Amsterdam  for  a  man- 
of-war  sufficiently  powerful  and  fit  to  counteract  so 
ruinous  a  design."1 

The  Swedes,  on  the  failure  of  their  expedition,  de 
termined  to  see  what  could  be  done  by  diplomacy. 
Accordingly  the  Swedish  Ambassador,  Harald  Appel- 
boom,  proceeded  to  address  a  series  of  energetic  notes 
to  the  States  General,  demanding  the  restitution  of 
New  Sweden.  In  one  of  the  10th  of  June,  on  this 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  pp.  232,  23Q,  and  Albany 
Records,  vol.  4,  p.  466. 


416  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

subject,  he  requested  "  prompt  expedition,  reparation 
and  satisfaction  in  the  complaint  so  frequently  made, 
and  again  repeated."  He  again,  on  June  27th,  makes 
another  demand,  in  which  he  recites  the  Swedish 
claim.  In  this  he  alleges  the  right  of  Sweden  to  the 
western  side  of  the  Delaware.  He  acknowledges  the 
right  of  the  Dutch  to  the  eastern  side.  In  this  note 
he  complains  of  the  Dutch  "  debauching  not  only  the 
Swedish  inhabitants  who  happened  to  be"  on  the  South 
river;  "but  even  drawing  and  conveying  from  Film 
land  and  Old  Sweden  additional  inhabitants  to  be 
employed  in  their  service  in  New  Sweden."  lie  states 
in  one  of  these  notes  that  "the  Swedish  people  are 
more  conversant  with  and  understand  better  than  any 
other  nation  the  cultivation  of  pasture,  wood  and  til 
lage  land,  fishing,  hunting  and  fowling." 

This  last  complaint  of  Appelboom's  must  have 
alluded  to  the  Swedes  and  Finns  who  sailed  with 
D'Hinoyossa  in  the  Parmerland  Church.1 

Upon  the  receipt  of  these  repeated  remonstrances 
and  demands  for  redress  from  the  Swedish  Govern 
ment,  the  States  General  referred  the  matter  to  the 
West  India  Company  for  information,  and  they  on  the 
9th  of  October  made  answer  through  their  secretary, 
Michael  Tenhove,  that  they  had  the  best  right  to  the 
South  river.  In  this  answer  they  recited  their 
original  discovery  and  possession,  and  the  capture  of 
Fort  Cassimer  and  other  outrages  done  to  them  by  the 
Swedes.  They  also  stated  that  having  sold  the  ter 
ritory  in  dispute  to  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  they  had, 

1  Broiulhead  and  O'Callighan.  vol.  2,  pp.  239,  240,  242. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  417 

therefore,  no  longer  possession  of  the  place.1  This 
was  the  last  demand  of  the  Swedes  for  the  possession 
of  their  American  territories  that  history  makes  men 
tion  of;  for  now  occurred  an  event  which  was  to  ren 
der  nugatory  and  futile  all  attempts  of  the  Swedes, 
whether  by  arms  or  diplomacy,  for  the  possession  of 
New  Sweden,  and  also  all  the  enterprises  of  D'Hino 
yossa  for  the  benefit  of  the  Dutch  trade  on  the  South 
river.  This  was  the  happening  of  what  Stuyvesant 
had  long  feared  and  predicted,  viz.,  the  conquest  of 
New  Netherlands  by  the  English.  D'Hinoyossa  had 
scarcely  enjoyed  his  power  four  months  when  it  was 
wrested  from  him  and  he  himself  was  expelled  from 
New  Netherlands. 

On  the  12th  of  March2  Charles,  II.,  king  of  Eng 
land,  granted  to  his  brother  James,  Duke  of  York  and 
Albany,  a  patent  for  all  the  land  embraced  between 
the  river  St.  Croix  (which  is  now  the  northern  bound 
ary  of  the  United  States)  and  the  east  side  of 
the  Delaware  bay.  This  grant  really  comprised  what 
is  now  the  New  England  States  and  the  States  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey.  It  took  in  all  of  New  Neth 
erlands  belonging  to  the  West  India  Company  and 
the  possessions  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Delaware;  but  it  did  not  take  in  the  City's 
Colony,  or  what  was  then  known  as  New  Sweden, 
which  was  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  Delaware. 
Nearly  the  whole  of  this,  or  from  a  point  a  little  north 
of  New  -York,  or  Patterson,  New  Jersey,  to  the 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  259. 

2  English  dates  are  old  style. 


418  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

< 

river  St.  Croix,  had  been  granted  in  1589  to  the 
Plymouth  or  North  Virginia  Company  by  his 
grandfather,  James  I.,1  whilst  the  west  side  of  the 
Delaware,  from  Philadelphia  to  the  Virginia  line,  or 
from  the  38th  to  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude 
on  the  peninsula  between  the  Chesapeake  bay,  the 
Susquehanna  river  and  the  Delaware,  had  been  grant 
ed  by  his  father,  Charles  I.,  to  Cecilius,  Lord  Balti 
more.  Yet,  under  this  grant,  whose  metes  and  bounds 
are  so  distinctly  defined,  James,  Duke  of  York,  con 
quered  and  held  possession  of  the  territory  now  com 
prised  in  the  State  of  Delaware,  which  was  not  men 
tioned  in  his  deed,  but  which  was  distinctly  mentioned 
and  set  forth  in  the  grant  of  his  father,  Charles  I.,  to 
Baltimore. 

On  the  3d  and  4th  of  July2  the  Duke  of  York 
granted  the  territory  between  the  Hudson  and  Dela 
ware  rivers  to  Lord  Berkley  and  Sir  George  Carteret. 
The  territory  comprised  in  this  grant  now  constitutes 
the  State  of  New  Jersey. 

When  the  grant  of  this  territory  was  made  to  the 
Duke  of  York,  war  had  not  been  declared  by  the 
English  against  the  Dutch ;  but  it  was  soon  after 
wards.  On  the  25th  day  of  May  (old  style)  an  ex 
pedition  sniled  from  Portsmouth,  England,  for  the 
purpose  of  capturing  all  the  Dutch  possessions  on  the 
continent  of  North  America  known  as  New  Nether 
lands.  It  consisted  of  four  vessels,  viz.,  the  Guinea, 
a  frigate  of  thirty-six  guns,  commanded  by  Captain 

1  See  pages  90,  91,  ante. 

2  The  reader  must  bear  in  mind  that  English  dates  are  old  style. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  419 

Hyde;  the  Elias,  of  forty-two  guns ;  a  ship  of  eighteen 
guns,  and  a  transport  of  fourteen  or  sixteen  guns.  On 
these  vessels,  in  addition  to  their  crews,  were  three 
hundred  soldiers.  The  expedition  was  commanded 
by  Colonel  Richard  Nichols,  and  with  him  came  Sir 
Robert  Carr,  Knight ;  George  Cartwright  and  Samuel 
Maverick,  Esqs.,  with  extensive  powers  to  visit  the 
several  English  colonies  and  to  hear  afnd  receive,  ex 
amine  and  determine  all  complaints  and  appeals  in  all 
matters,  military,  civil  and  criminal,  and  to  provide  in 
all  things  for  "settling  the  peace  and  security  of  the 
country."  They  were  also  instructed  that  the  first 
business  to  be  done  was  the  "reducing  of  the  Dutch 
in  or  near  Long  Island,  or  anywhere  within  the  limits 
of"  the  English  "dominions,  to  an  entire  obedience." 
Their  instructions  recited  that  the  Dutch  colonies 
"  were  a  receptacle  and  sanctuary  for  mutinous,  sedi 
tious  and  discontented  persons,  who  fly  from  justice 
as  malefactors,  and  who  run  away  from  their  masters, 
or  avoid  paying  their  debts,  or  who  have  other  wicked 
designs."  They  also  say  that  as  soon  as  they  (the 
Dutch)  "grow  to  any  strength  or  power,"  "their 
business  is  to  oppress  their  neighbors  and  engross  the 
whole  trade  to  themselves  "  by  any  indirect,  unlawful, 
or  foul  means.  In  proof  of  this  the  instructions  re 
cited  "  their  inhuman  proceedings  at  Amboyna,1  in  a 
time  of  full  peace  and  all  professions  of  particular 
love  and  friendship."  Reciting  this,  the  instructions 

1  The  English  were  cruelly  massacred  and  tortured  there  by  the 
Dutch,  for  which  Cromwell  afterwards  compelled  them  to  pay  about 
$300,000. 


420  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

say  "  it  was  high  time  to  put  them  (the  Dutch)  with 
out  a  capacity  of  doing  the  same  mischief"  in  America, 
"  and  reducing  them  to  the  same  rule  and  obedience  " 
with  the  English  "subjects  there." 

The  Commissioners  were  instructed  to  use  no  more 
violence  than  was  necessary  to  reduce  them  to  obedi 
ence.  No  man  who  "  would  yield  obedience  "  was  to 
be  "disturbed  or  removed  from  what  he  possessed." 
Those  who  would  submit  to  English  authority  were 
to  enjoy  the  same  privileges  as  English  subjects. 
They  also  said  that  they  (the  Dutch)  had  "  no  kind 
of  right  to  hold  what  they  were  in  possession  of,"  as 
"  they  were  King  Charles'  unquestionable  territories, 
which  they  were  possessed  of  by  an  invasion  of  En 
glish  right." 

The  Dutch  had  received  some  information  of  the 
intentions  of  the  English,  yet  they  had  made  no  ade 
quate  preparations  to  counteract  their  designs.  The 
English  of  Connecticut  were  pressing  on  the  Dutch 
at  Long  Island.  Several  English  villages  were  estab 
lished  there,  and  in  December  a  Captain  John  Scott 
had  landed  on  that  island,  from  Connecticut,  with  a 
troop  of  horse  and  foot,  and  took  possession  of  part 
of  it,  and  in  some  settlements  displaced  the  Dutch 
magistrates  and  appointed  English  in  their  place.  He 
and  his  men  committed  several  outrages,  amongst 
which  was  the  beating  of  a  son  of  Captain  Martin 
Krygier  (named  after  his  father,  Martin  Krygier,1) 
and  several  others. 

Stuyvesant  appointed  some  commissioners  to  con- 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  483. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  421 

fer  with  him,  amongst  whom  was  Cornelius  Van  Ruy- 
ven.  On  the  loth  of  January,  during  a  conference, 
he  informed  Van  Ruyven  that  the  Duke  of  York  not 
only  intended  to  reduce  Long  Island,  but  the  whole 
of  New  Netherlands  to  obedience,  and  that  he 
designed  fitting  out  vessels  for  that  purpose.1 

Information  had  also  been  received  by  the  West 
India  Company  of  the  sailing  and  destination  of  the 
expedition  in  June,  and  they  immediately  informed 
the  Council  of  the  City  of  Amsterdam  and  urged  that 
city  to  use  its  influence  with  the  States  General  to 
get  them  to  send  a  force  to  aid  in  the  defense  of  New 
Netherlands.  This  the  City  of  Amsterdam  resolved 
to  do.  However,  as  the  English  expedition  was  well 
on  its  way  across  the  Atlantic,  as  will  be  seen  in  the 
sequel,  New  Netherlands  fell  before  it  would  have 
been  possible  to  have  rendered  it  any  effectual  assist 
ance,  even  had  the  Dutch  moved  energetically  in  the 
matter. 

On  the  25th  of  August  the  frigate  Guinea,  the  first 
ship  of  the  expedition,  arrived  in  the  outer  bay  of 
New  Amsterdam,  information  of  which  was  immedi 
ately  sent  to  Stuy vesant.  The  English  at  once  issued 
a  proclamation,  offering  protection  to  those  who  would 
submit.  On  the  27th  they  captured  a  sloop  engaged 
in  the  service  of  Peter  Alricks,  the  Commissary  of 
the  South  river,  who  had  come  from  NewT  Amstel,  with 
twelve  soldiers,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  cattle, 
which  he  had  succeeded  in  doing  in  New  England 
and  having  them  brought  to  Manhattan,  previous  to 

1  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  pp.  400,  587. 


422  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

shipping  them  to  New  Amstel.  Both  the  cattle  on 
the  vessel  and  those  not  yet  shipped  on  the  shore 
were  captured  by  the  English. 

A  few  days  previous  to  this  the  ship  Gideon  had 
arrived  at  New  Amsterdam  from  Africa  with  290 
slaves  of  both  sexes  on  board,  one-fourth  of  which 
belonged  to  New  Amstel.  New  Amstel's  portion  of 
them  were  hastily  run  in  gangs  through  New  Jersey 
overland  to  the  South  river  by  Alricks,  and  narrowly 
escaped  capture  by  the  English.  The  boat  in  which 
they  crossed  the  North  river,  and  some  of  its  crew, 
was  taken. 

This  was  the  first  introduction  of  slaves  into  Dela 
ware  from  Africa  of  which  we  have  any  record. 
Slaves  were  on  the  South  river  from  its  earliest  set 
tlement  ;  but  we  have  no  account  of  the  mode  and 
manner  by  which  they  were  brought  to  its  shores. 

On  the  28th  the  three  other  vessels  composing  the 
English  expedition  arrived  in  the  bay  of  New  Am 
sterdam.  Stuyvesant  in  the  meantime  had  placed  the 
fort  in  the  best  posture  of  defence  he  could  and  sent 
to  the  various  villages  for  assistance.  The  inhabitants, 
however,  refused  to  come  to  his  aid,  giving  as  a  reason 
"  that  they  would  not  leave  their  wives  and  children 
a  prey  whilst  aiding  to  defend  another  place." 

He  also  sent  to  the  commanders  of  the  expedition, 
by  the  hands  of  four  commissioners,  amongst  whom 
were  Cornelius  Van  Ruyven  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Megapolinisis,  inquiring  the  object  of  their  arrival 
and  continuance  in  the  harbor  without  giving  notice 
of  their  design,  which  they  ought  to  have  done. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  423 

The  next  day  (the  30th)  his  commissioners  reported 
to  him  that  Colonel  Nichols  demanded  the  Fort  and 
place ;  that  he  said  he  would  not  argue  the  case  in 
relation  to  the  English  or  Dutch  title ;  but  that  he 
would  attack  Amsterdam  in  Holland  if  so  ordered. 
He  demanded  a  surrender  of  the  place  without  debate. 
Several  days  in  the  meantime  elapsed,  and  Stuyvesant 
on  the  2d  of  September  sent  to  the  English  a  lengthy 
letter,  in  which  the  Dutch  and  English  titles  were 
elaborately  gone  into. 

On  the  4th  of  September  the  English  came  nearer 
the  Fort,  when  they  were  joined  by  Captain  Scott, 
with  his  horse  and  foot,  numbering  about  sixty  men. 
Another  demand  was  made  to  surrender,  and  two  of 
the  English  vessels  sailed  above  the  Fort.  At  this 
Stuyvesant  went  up  to  his  gunners  as  if  to  order  them 
to  fire,  but  the  two  Megapolinisises  (father  and  son) 
took  hold  of  him  and  led  him  away. 

The  English  had  made  a  peremptory  demand  for 
surrender,  and  Stuyvesant  had  replied  that  he  had 
determined  to  defend  the  Fort;  but  the  commission 
ers  requested  further  time  for  consideration  and  ces 
sation  of  hostilities,  and  Captain  Hyde  of  the  Guinea 
agreed  not  to  fire  on  the  town. 

On  the  5th  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  was  held 
and  a  remonstrance  voted  on  and  passed,  which  was 
handed  to  Stuyvesant  signed  by  most  of  the  citizens, 
imploring  him  as  there  was  "  no  hope  of  relief,"  and 
as  it  was  "  impossible  to  make  head  against  so  power 
ful  an  enemy,  to  surrender,"  or  else  they  "  would  call 
down  on  his  head  the  vengeance  of  Heaven"  for  "all 


424  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

the  innocent  blood  which  should  be  shed"  on  account 
of  his  "  obstinacy." 

The  English  commander  having  refused  to  give 
another  day,  and  thus  worked  upon  from  all  sides, 
Stuyvesant  agreed  to  treat  for  a  surrender.  On  the 
6th  the  terms  were  arranged  and  concluded ;  on  the 
8th  they  were  ratified  and  exchanged ;  and  on  the 
9th  day  of  September  New  Amsterdam,  its  fort,  and 
the  whole  of  Manhattan  were  formally  surrendered 
to  the  English.  The  Dutch  marched  out  with  all 
their  arms,  colors  flying  and  drums  beating,  and  the 
English  marched  in  and  took  possession  of  the  Fort. 

The  Dutch  soldiers  were  extremely  anxious  to  fight, 
but  were  hurried  off  and  placed  on  board  the  slave- 
ship  Gideon  before  the  arrival  of  the  English.  They 
demanded  powder,  and  Captain  Krygier  promised  to 
give  it  to  them ;  but  instead,  carried  it  to  his  own 
house,  as  it  was  feared  they  might  attack  the  English 
if  they  had  it.  The  burghers  were  suspicious  of  the 
soldiers.  They  had  threatened  to  plunder  the  place, 
and  exclamations  were  heard  amongst  them  such  as, 
"  they  knew  where  the  booty  was  to  be  got,  and  where 
the  young  women  were  who  wore  gold  chains,"  and 
that  they  now  had  "  an  opportunity  of  peppering  the 
devilish  Chinese  who  had  made  them  smart  so  much."1 
A  crowd  of  them  surrounded  the  house  of  Peter 
Meyer  and  attempted  to  plunder  it,  but  were  pre 
vented  by  the  burghers. 

The  terms  of  capitulation,  amongst  other  articles, 
provided  :  That  the  people  should  be  free  citizens  and 
enjoy  their  lands  and  goods  ;  those  who  desired  should 

1  Chinese,  a  nickname  applied  to  petty  traders. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  425 

be  allowed  to  move  away ;  any  one  could  come  from 
the  Netherlands  and  plant  in  the  country ;  ships 
should  be  allowed  to  go  to  the  Netherlands  and  come 
to  Manhattan  for  the  space  of  six  months  ;  the  inhabi 
tants  to  be  allowed  to  traffic  with  the  English  as  with 
Indians  ;  inferior  magistrates  to  remain  in  office ;  the 
towns  of  Manhattan  to  choose  deputies  and  to  have 
a  free  voice  in  public  affairs,  and  no  Dutchman  or 
Dutch  ship  to  be  pressed  to  serve  in  war  against  any 
nation ;  every  Dutch  soldier  staying  in  the  country 
was  to  have  fifty  acres  of  land. 

Fort  Amsterdam  at  the  time  of  its  surrender  was 
totally  untenable.  It  was  built  only  as  a  defense 

against  Indians,  and  was  never  intended  to  stand  a 

<^  / 

siege  against  a  civilized  force.  Not  more  than  300 
men  could  be  raised  capable  of  bearing  arms  in  Man 
hattan  ;  there  was  not  600  pounds  (or  a  day's  supply) 
of  powder  in  the  fort ;  there  was  little  or  no  provisions  ; 
the  houses  were  built  close  up  to  the  fort,  and  the 
bombardment  necessary  to  reduce  it  would  have  de 
stroyed  New  Amsterdam  and  ruined  its  citizens,  who 
expected  to  be  pillaged,  in  the  result  of  resistance, 
both  by  the  English  and  their  own  soldiers. 

Again,  the  citizens  were  dissatisfied  with  the  West 
India  Company.  On  the  10th  of  November  both  they 
and  Stuyvesant  had  informed  the  Company  they  had 
expected  an  attack  both  from  the  English  and  the  In 
dians,  and  the  Company  had  not  deemed  their  com 
plaints  worthy  of  an  answer.  Therefore  the  citizens, 
when  discussing  amongst  themselves  the  question  of 
the  surrender,  publicly  exclaimed  :  "  If  the  honorable 


426  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Company  give  themselves  so  little  concern  about  the 
safety  of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants  as  not  to  be 
willing  to  send  a  ship  of  war  to  its  succor  in  such 
pressing  necessity,  or  even  a  letter  of  advice  as  to 
what  we  may  at  present  depend  on  and  what  relief 
we  have  to  expect,  we  are  powerless,  and  therefore 
will  not  defend  the  city,  to  imperil  our  lives,  property, 
wives  and  children,  without  hope  of  any  reinforce 
ment  or  relief,  and  to  lose  all  after  two  or  three  days 
resistance."  New  Amsterdam  at  this  time  contained 
a  population  of  about  1,500  people.1 

The  name  of  New  Amsterdam  was  changed  by  the 
English  to  that  of  New  York,  by  which  name  it  is 
still  known.  It  is  now  the  largest  city  not  only  in 
the  United  States,  but  on  the  American  continent, 
and  will  undoubtedly,  in  course  of  time,  be  the  largest 
city  in  the  world. 

After  arranging  affairs  in  New  York,  the  English 
turned  their  attention  to  the  South  river,  and  a  com 
mission  was  issued  by  the  other  three  commissioners 
who  came  with  the  expedition,  to  Sir  Robert  Carr,  as 
follows : — 

Whereas,  we  are  informed  that  the  Dutch  have 
seated  themselves  at  Delaware  bay,  on  His  Majesty 
of  Great  Britain's  territories,  without  his  knowledge 
or  consent,  and  that  they  have  fortified  themselves 
there  and  drawn  a  great  deal  of  trade  thither;  and 
being  assured  that  if  they  be  permitted  to  go  on  the 

1  For  the  particulars  of  the  surrender  and  the  before  mentioned 
circumstances,  see  Broadhead  and  O'Callaghan,  vol.  2,  pp.  307,  36U. 
375,  410,  411,  483,  504,  &c. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  427 

gaining  of  this  place  will  be  of  small  advantage  to 
His  Majesty,  we,  His  Majesty's  Commissioners,  by 
virtue  of  His  Majesty's  commission  and  instruction 
to  us  given,  have  advised  and  determined  to  bring 
that  place,  and  all  strangers  thereabout,  in  obedience 
to  His  Majesty ;  and  by  these  do  order  and  appoint 
that  His  Majesty's  frigates,  the  "Guinea"  and  the 
••  William  and  Nicholas,"  and  all  the  soldiers  which 
are  not  in  the  Fort,  shall,  with  what  speed  they  con 
veniently  can,  go  thither  under  the  command  of  Sir 
Robert  -Carr,  to  reduce  the  same,  willing  and  com 
manding  all  officers,  at  sea  and  land,  and  all  soldiers, 
to  obey  the  said  Sir  Robert  Carr  during  this  expe 
dition. 

Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  at  the  Fort  in 
New  York,  upon  the  Island  .of  Manhattan,  3d  day  of 
September,  1664. 

(Signed)  R.  NICHOLLS, 

G.  CARTWRIGHT, 

S.    MAVERICK.1 

Sir  Robert  Carr  was  instructed  when  he  came  near 
the  Dutch  Fort  to  send  his  boat  on  shore,  to  summon 
the  governor  and  inhabitants  to  yield  obedience  to 
His  Majesty  as  the  rightful  sovereign  of  that  tract  of 
land,  and  let  them  know  "that  all  the  planters  shall 
enjoy  their  farms,  houses,  lands,  goods  and  chattels, 
with  the  same  privileges  and  on  the  same  terms  upon 
which  they  do  now  possess  them,  only  that  they 
change  their  masters,  whether  they  be  the  West  India 

1  Register  of  Pennsylvania,  vol.  1,  p.  36,  and  New  York  Records. 


428  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Company  or  the  City  of  Amsterdam.  To  the  Swedes 
you  shall  remonstrate  their  happy  return  under  a 
rnonarchial  government  and  His  Majesty's  good  incli 
nation  to  that  nation,  and  to  all  men  who  shall  com 
ply  with  His  Majesty's  rights  and  title  in  Delaware 
without  force  of  arms." 

That  all  cannon,  arms  and  ammunition  belonging  to 
the  government  shall  remain  to  His  Majesty. 

Future  trading  to  be  regulated  by  rules  of  Parlia 
ment;  right  of  conscience  to  be  guaranteed;  for  six 
months  all  the  present  magistrates  to  continue  in 
office,  taking  oath  of  allegiance,  and  their  act  to  be  in 
His  Majesty's  name. 

If  Sir  Robert  finds  he  cannot  reduce  the  place  by 
force,  nor  upon  these  conditions,  he  may  add  such  as 
he  finds  necessary ;  but  if  both  fail,  he  is,  by  a  mes 
senger  to  the  Governor  of  Maryland,  to  ask  aid. 
After  reducing  the  place,  his  first  care  is  "  to  protect 
the  inhabitants  from  injuries,  as  well  as  violence  from 
the  soldiers,  which  may  easily  be  effected  if  you  set 
tle  a  course  for  weekly  or  daily  provisions  by  agree 
ment  with  the  inhabitants,  to  be  satisfied  to  them 
either  out  of  the  profits,  customs,  or  rents  belonging 
to  their  present  master,  or,  in  case  of  necessity,  from 
hence." 

The  laws  for  the  present  to  remain  as  to  the  admin 
istration  of  right  and  justice. 

He  is  to  declare  to  Lord  Baltimore's  son  and  all 
the  English  concerned  in  Maryland,  that  this  great 
expense  to  His  Majesty,  in  ships  and  soldiers,  has 
been  incurred  solely  for  the  purpose  of  reducing 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  429 

foreigners  in  these  parts  to  His  Majesty's  obedience ; 
but  that  being  reduced  at  His  Majesty's  expense,  he 
is  commanded  to  hold  "possession  for  His  Majesty's 
own  behoof  and  right,  and  that  he  is  willing  to  unite 
with  the  Governor  of  Maryland  in  His  Majesty's  in 
terest  on  all  occasions;  and  if  my  Lord  Baltimore  doth 
pretend  right  thereto  by  his  patent  (which  is  a  doubt 
ful  case),  you  are  to  say  that  you  only  keep  possession 
till  His  Majesty  is  informed  and  otherwise  satisfied." 

"  In  other  things/'  says  the  instructions,  "  I  must 
leave  you  to  your  discretion  and  the  best  advice  you 
can  get  upon  the  place."1 

In  compliance  with  these  orders,  Carr  sailed  from 
New  York  with  the  frigate  Guinea,  Captain  Hugh 
Hyde,  and  the  ship  William  and  Nicholas,  Captain 
Thomas  Morley,  and  after  a  long  and  troublesome 
passage,  prolonged  by  the  ignorance  of  the  pilots  and 
the  shoalness  of  the  wrater,  arrived  at  Fort  New  Am- 
stel  on  the  last  day  of  September  (old  style).  They 
passed  by  Fort  New  Amstel  without  notice,  the  better 
to  satisfy  the  Swedes,  who,  notwithstanding  the  Dutch 
persuasions  to  the  contrary,  were  soon  the  friends  of 
the  English. 

Carr  then  had  a  parley  with  D'Hinoyossa  and  the 
Burghers  of  New  Amsterdam.  The  burghers  and 
the  townsmen,  after  three  days'  negotiation,  agreed 
to  give  up  the  town  of  New  Amstel  to  the  English ; 
but  D'Hinoyossa  and  the  soldiers  refused  to  surren 
der,  and  -they  retired  into  the  Fort.  The  following 
were  the  terms  of  capitulation,  viz : 

1  Register  of  Pennsylvania,  vol.  1,  p.  37 ;  New  York  Records. 


430  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

"1.  That  all  the  burgomasters  and  planters  will 
submit  themselves  to  His  Majesty's  authority,  with 
out  making  any  resistance. 

"2.  That  whoever,  of  what  nation  soever,  doth 
submit  to  His  Majesty's  authority,  shall  be  protected 
in  their  estates,  real  and  personal  whatsoever,  by  His 
Majesty's  laws  and  justice. 

"3.  That  the  present  magistrates  shall  be  con 
tinued  in  the  offices  and  jurisdiction,  to  exercise  their 
civil  powers  as  formerly. 

"  4.  That  if  any  Dutchman  or  other  person  shall 
desire  to  depart  from  this  river,  that  it  is  lawful  for 
him  so  to  do,  within  six  months  after  the  date  of  these 
articles. 

"  5.  That  the  magistrates  and  all  the  inhabitants 
(who  are  included  in  these  articles)  shall  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  His  Majesty,  and  of  fidelity  to 
the  present  governor. 

"  6.  That  all  the  people  shall  enjoy  the  liberty  of 
their  conscience  in  church  discipline  as  formerly. 

"  7.  That  whoever  shall  take  the  oath  is  from  that 
time  a  free  denizen,  and  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges 
of  trading  into  any  of  His  Majesty's  dominions  as 
freely  as  any  Englishman,  and  may  require  a  certifi 
cate  for  so  doing. 

"  8.  That  the  schout,  the  burgomaster,  sheriff,  and 
other  inferior  magistrates  shall  use  and  exercise  their 
customary  power  in  administration  of  justice  within 
their  precincts  for  six  months,  or  until  His  Majesty's 
pleasure  is  further  known. 

"The  Oath.— I  do  swear  by  the  Almighty  God  that 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  431 

I  will  bear  faith  and  allegiance  to  His  Majesty  of 
Great  Britain,  and  that  I  will  obey  all  such  commands 
as  I  shall  receive  from  the  governor,  deputy  governor, 
and  other  officers  appointed  by  His  Majesty's  authority, 
so  long  as  I  live  within  these  or  any  other  of  His 
Majesty's  territories. 

"  Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  first  day  of 
October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God,  1664. 

"ROBERT  CARR. 

"  Given  under  our  hands  and  seals,  in  behalf  of 
ourselves  and  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants,  the  first  of 
October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God,  1664. 
"  FOB  OUT  HOUT,  HANS  BLOCK, 

HENRY  JOHNSON,  LUCAS  PETERSON, 

GERRITT  S.  VAN  TIEL,      HENRY  CASTURIER." 

D'flinoyossa  having  refused  Carr's  proposition  to 
surrender  peaceably,  and  having  retired  with  the 
soldiers  into  Fort  New  Amstel,  and  it  is  believed 
with  Alricks  and  Van  Sweringen  with  him,  Carr  pro 
ceeded  to  use  forcible  means.  Accordingly  upon  the 
Sunday  morning  following  he  landed  his  troops,  and 
commanded  his  ships  to  fall  down  below  the  fort, 
although  within  musket  shot,  and  to  fire  into  it  two 
broadsides  each.  This  was  done.  The  ships  fired 
into  Fort  New  Amstel,  and  the  land  troops  making 
an  attack  at  the  same  time  took  it  by  storm.  The 
Dutch  lost  three  men  killed  and  ten  wounded  in  this 
affair.  After  the  fort  was  taken,  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  commenced  to  plunder,  and  succeeded  in  get 
ting  a  great  deal  of  booty.  The  noise  and  confusion 


432  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

was  so  great  during  this  interval,  that  "  no  words  of 
command  could  be  heard  for  some  time."  Carr  did 
his  utmost  to  prevent  this,  and  keep  as  many  of  the 
goods  as  he  could  entire.  Fort  New  Amstel,  though 
mounting  fourteen  guns,  "  was  not  tenable."1 

After  the  capture  of  the  town  and  Fort  of  New 
Amstel,  a  general  scene  of  plunder  took  place.  All 
the  soldiers  and  many  of  the  citizens  of  New  Amstel 
were  sold  as  slaves  to  Virginia  (for  white  slavery  or 
forced  service  then  existed,  as  well  as  black).  The 
negroes  brought  by  the  Gideon,  and  run  across  New 
Jersey  by  Alricks  (as  well  as  more  than  probably 
others,  that  could  be  found)  were  forfeited,  and  mostly 
divided  amongst  the  captors,  save  those  that  the 
Dutch  managed  to  conceal.  Several  were  taken  be 
longing  to  Alricks.  Eleven  were  returned  to  him 
some  four  years  afterwards  by  Ensign2  Arthur  Stock 
as  a  free  gift.3  They  also  took  from  the  Dutch  all 
the  produce  of  the  land  for  that  year,  and  amongst 
other  things  were  100  she.ep,  30  or  40  horses,  50  to 
60  cows  and  oxen,  a  brew-house  and  still  belonging 
to  it,  and  a  saw-mill  ready  to  put  up.  (This  is  the 
first  mention  we  have  of  a  saw-mill  in  Delaware). 
They  also  plundered  the  settlement  of  the  Mennon- 
ists  at  the  Hoernkill,  leaving  the  inhabitants  there 
(to  use  the  words  of  Van  Sweringen)  "  not  even  a 

1  See  Carr's  letter,  London  Documents,  vol.  i.  p.  204. 

2  Ensign  in  the  English  service  is  the  lowest  commissioned  officer 
in  the  company. 

3  In  this  gift  there  was  some  act  of  policy,  the  reason  of  which  is 
not  at  this  time  perfectly  known. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  433 

nail."1  Stuyvesant  also  in  writing  of  this  affair  says: 
"  That  although  the  citizens  of  New  Amstel  made  no 
resistance,  'they  were  stripped'  and  ' utterly  plun 
dered.'"  He  also  confirms  the  selling  of  the  citizens 
and  soldiers  as  slaves.  The  amount  of  plunder  ob 
tained  amounted  to  <£4000.  Carr,  notwithstanding 
the  amount  of  sheep  and  cattle  taken  from  the  unfor 
tunate  citizens  of  New  Amstel,  in  writing  to  Colonel 
Nichols  giving  an  account  of  the  expedition,  says : 
"  That  nothing  was  to  be  had  on  the  Delaware  but 
what  was  purchased  from  other  places,  and  that  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  garrison  he  had  to  send  into 
Maryland  some  negroes  belonging  to  D'Hinoyossa, 
which  he  sold  for  'beef,  pork,  and  salt/"  and,  to  use 
his  own  words,  "  other  small  conveniences,"  which, 
he  said,  "  the  place  affordeth  not." 

Carr  also  complained  of  the  Seneca  and  Tuscarora 
Indians,  whom  he  said,  "were  exasperated  by  some 
Dutch  and  their  own  inclinations,"  and  who  "did 
violence  both  to  heathens  and  Christians ;"  for  which 
"  the  Indians  of  the  neighborhood  were  unjustly 
blamed."  Several  murders,  he  said,  "  had  been  com 
mitted  by  them  upon  the  Dutch  and  Swedes  in  less 
than  six  weeks."  They  were  so  strong  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  "  that  no  one  dared  to  plant  there."2 

1  From  this  it  appears  the  Mennonists  did  settle  at  the  Hoernkill 
(Lcwistown).     For  Van  Sweringen's   account,  see  Broadhead   and 
O'Calligan,  vol.  3,  pp.  343-6.     He  there  alleges  that  the  Schuylkill 
derived   its   name    (sculk,  hidden ;   kill,  creek)    from   the    Swedish 
vessel,  Mercurius,  that  run  past  the  batteries  hiding  there.     See  pp. 
274-5,  ante. 

2  London  Documents,  vol.  i.  p.  204. 

28 


434  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

He  wished  a  treaty  of  peace  to  be  made  with  them. 
The  Guinea  was  immediately  afterwards  ordered  to 
proceed  with  despatches  to  England. 

In  all  the  previous  conflicts  between  the  Dutch 
and  Swedes,  and  Dutch  and  English,  no  life  was  lost, 
and  no  blood  was  shed,  that  history  records,  save  in 
the  cracking  of  the  crown  of  an  unfortunate  white 
named  Ever  Ducking,  whom  some  Englishman 
knocked  over  the  head  in  a  dispute  about  some  land, 
between  them  and  the  Dutch,  on  the  Fresh  (Con 
necticut)  river.  This  unusual  violence  was  duly 
noted  and  denounced  in  the  Dutch  chronicles.  Fort 
Cassimer  was  taken  twice  in  the  conflicts  between  the 
Dutch  and  Swedes,  without  a  scratch  being  suffered 
by  any  one.  Fort  Christina  was  captured,  and  not 
withstanding  the  length  of  the  siege  nobody  was 
hurt.  It  was  the  same  with  Fort  Amsterdam  and 
Manhattan,  which  was  surrendered  without  the  least 
damage  being  done  to  any  individual.  So  that  the 
northern  suburb  of  the  pretty  town  of  New  Castle 
was  the  first  and  only  place  that  was  soiled  in  these 
conflicts  with  the  stain  of  human  gore.  The  en 
croaching  Delaware,  however,  has  since  washed  it 
away,  and  of  the  fort  which  was  the  scene  of  the 
carnage,  and  of  the  ground  on  which  it  stood,  not  a 
vestige  now  remains :  all  has  been  swallowed  up  in 
its  waters.  The  site  of  Fort  Cassimer,  or  New  Am- 
stel,  as  it  was  afterwards  called,  must  have  been  a 
point  of  land  on  the  northern  side  of  New  Castle.  It 
then  extended  probably  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
further  into  the  Delaware  than  now,  as  the  river  has 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  435 

washed  and  still  washes  away  from  three  to  five  feet 
annually.  During  every  storm  the  skulls  and  bones 
interred  in  an  old  graveyard  (which  must  have  been 
in  the  rear  of  this  fort)  are  now  torn  by  the  angry 
Delaware  from  the  graves  in  which  they  were  laid, 
and  strewed  along  its  shores. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  1676,  or  only  twelve 
years  after  its  capture  by  the  English,  the  fort  was 
in  ruins.  It  was  then  granted  to  Englebert  Lott. 
The  following  is  the  extract  from  the  New  Castle 
records  authorizing  its  destruction  : — 

"  7th  of  November,  1676,  Englebert  Lott  prefer 
ring  in  Court  a  petition  desiring  a  grant  from  this 
worpfl.  Cort,  to  take  up  ye  Lott  att  ye  Easte  End  of 
this  Towne,  where  the  old  Forte  formerly  stood. 
The  Court  granted  the  petition  his  said  request,  hee 
leveling  the  old  walls  and  buildings  upon  the  same, 
according  to  his  honor's,  the  governor's  regulations."1 
Englebert  Lott  must  have  pulled  down  the  ruined 
walls,  as  the  Labadists,  Dankers  and  Sluyter,  on 
their  visit  to  New  Castle  in  1680  say  that  the  fort 
was  "  demolished." 

Thus  fell  the  Dutch  power  on  the  Delaware,  and 
the  Anglo-Saxon — that  race  that  is  more  than  prob 
ably  destined  hereafter  to  make  its  language,  laws, 
manners,  customs,  and  institutions  those  of  the  world,2 

1  New  Castle  Records. 

2  The  author  has  come  to  the  conclusion,  after  maturely  consider 
ing  the  matter,  that  it  is  the  destiny  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  (no 
matter  how  Utopian  or  improbable  it  may  seem)  finally  to  unite  the 
world  together  under  one  form  of  government,  and  thus  do  away 
with  wars  between  the  nations  of  the  earth.    In  accordance  with  this 


436  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

became  the  possessors  of  New  Netherlands,  which 
was  the  single  gap  in  their  possessions,  that  prevented 

belief,  in  1868  he  wrote  an  essay  to  the  London  CoMcn  Club,  com 
peting  for  the  gold  medal  offered  by  the  late  Mr.  Cobden  for  the 
"best  essay  on  the  best  way  of  developing  improved  political  and 
commercial  relations  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  of 
America."  In  this  essay  he  recommended  the  re-uniting  together  of 
the  two  great  branches  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  (i.  c.  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies)  into  one  government  j 
thus  forming  a  great  Anglo-Saxon  Confederacy  on  the  following 
plan,  viz  :  Great  Britain  to  abandon  the  government  of  Ireland  and 
her  colonies,  and  leave  them  to  manage  their  local  affairs  by  legis 
latures  chosen  by  themselves.  The  United  States  and  Great  Britain 
and  her  colonies  then  to  be  divided  into  representative  districts  of 
equal  population  ;  each  district  to  elect  a  member  to  a  legislature  (to 
be  composed  cither  of  one  or  two  houses),  to  meet  at  a  place  chosen 
for  a  capital,  to  pass  laws  to  govern  the  great  united  nation.  All 
members,  both  of  the  general  and  state  legislatures,  to  be  elected  by 
universal  suffrage,  and  representation  always  to  be  in  proportion  to 
population.  An 'executive  or  executives  to  be  elected  to  govern  the 
great  nation,  with  similar  powers  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  courts  to  be  instituted  to  try  causes  of  difference  that 
might  arise  between  the  various  States,  according  to  laws  made  and 
provided  beforehand.  Perfect  freedom  of  trade  to  be  between  the 
various  States.  Education  to  be  compulsory  and  universal,  so  that 
no  one  should  "grow  up  by  its  ignorance  to  jeopardize  the  general 
welfare."  Libraries  to  be  established  in  districts  convenient  to  and 
open  to  all,  where  the  laws  of  the  Great  United  Nation,  and  books 
that  contained  such  information  as  would  tend  to  the  welfare  of  the 
citizens,  should  be  deposited  by  the  Government.  All  nations  to  be 
admitted  into  the  Union  upon  application,  and  allowed  every  right 
enjoyed  by  the  rest  of  the  States,  and  representation  in  its  legislature 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  their  people,  provided  they  agree  to 
abide  by  its  laws,  and  teach  the  English  language  in  their  schools, 
so  as  to  have  one  language  for  common  use  throughout  the  Confed 
eracy  :  thus  adopting  for  the  Anglo-Saxon  or  English  speaking 
races,  and  finally  for  the  world,  a  form  of  government  similar  to  that 
of  the  United  States,  save  that  senators  should  be  in  proportion  to 
population,  and  be  elected  by  universal  suffrage,  instead  of  two  from 
each  State,  chosen  by  state  legislatures  as  at  present.  The  author 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  437 

their  owning  the  territory  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard 
from  the  31st  to  the  46th  parallel  of  latitude,  or  from 

thinks  that  the  uniting  together  of  two  such  powerful  nations  on  the 
principle  of  exact  justice — every  member  comprising  it  having  rights 
equal  with  the  rest — would  make  a  community  too  powerful  for  any 
nation  or  combination  of  nations  to  compete  with  in  warfare.  That 
nation  after  nation  would  join  it,  as  they  would  then  save  the  great 
expense  of  their  army  and  navy  (for  the  same  military  and  naval 
orce  would  do  for  all),  and  the  devouring  conscription  for  enforced 
service  in  their  armies,  to  which  most  civilized  nations  are  now  sub 
ject,  to  protect  themselves  against  other  nations  having  similar  mili 
tary  systems.  That  this  and  the  freedom  for  trade  existing  amongst 
us — a  trade  that  would  not  be  interrupted  by  hostile  imposts  or  wars, 
but  which  would  be  allowed  to  flow  in  its  natural  channels,  each 
section  producing  what  it  could  with  most  advantage  to  itself,  and 
exchanging  with  the  others  its  surplus — would  induce  country  after 
country  to  join  us,  until  finally  possibly  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
would  be  admitted  to  our  Union.  The  world  would  then  be  one 
nation,  with  one  language,  the  English.  Wars  would  exist  no  more  ; 
universal  peace  would  prevail.  The  words  of  the  prophet  would  be 
fulfilled.  Swords  would  (metaphorically)  be  turned  into  plows,  and 
spears  into  pruning  hooks.  There  would  be  peace  throughout  the 
world.  Utopian  as  this  scheme  may  seem,  it  is  just  such  men  as  you 
and  I,  reader  (in  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain),  who  have 
power  to  say  whether  this  shall  be  done.  We  have  simply  [enough 
of  us)  to  manifest  by  our  votes  at  the  polls  that  this  is  our  desire, 
and  the  thing  can  be  accomplished,  as  both  in  America  and  Britain 
the  people  control  the  government.  It  is  simply  a  matter  of  will, 
and  the  two  people  can  say  whether  they  prefer  to  unite  themselves 
as  one  together,  and  live  in  harmony,  deciding  their  differences  by 
courts,  on  whose  benches  shall  sit  such  judges  as  Hale  and  Mansfield 
or  Marshall  and  Story,  or  fall  out  and  kill  each  other  by  wholesale, 
and  destroy  each  other's  property.  If  the  German  and  the  Italian, 
notwithstanding  the  sanguinary  battles  that  have  occurred  between 
their  States,  forgetting  all  past  quarrels,  so  yearn  for  a  unity  of  their 
race  as  to  be  willing  to  wade  through  seas  of  blood  to  accomplish  it, 
why  should  not  the  Anglo-Saxon  be  willing  to  do  peaceably,  with 
none  so  bold  as  to  say  to  him  "nay,"  what  they  could  only  succeed 
in  accomplishing  by  a  costly  expenditure  of  life  and  money.  The 
author  has  treated  these  views  more  at  length  in  an  essay  to  the 


438  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

the  St.  Croix,  which  flows  past  the  northern  boundary 
of  Maine,  to  the  St.  Mary's,  which  forms  the  southern 
boundary  of  Georgia.  Never  perhaps  was  the  taking 
of  so  trifling  a  fortress  as  New  Amstel  by  so  insig 
nificant  an  armament  productive  of  such  momentous 
results.  The  capture  of  this,  the  last  hold  of  the 
Dutch,  consolidating  the  English  possessions,  caused 
our  admixture  from  Maine  to  Georgia  into  one  people, 
the  grant  of  Pennsylvania  to  Penn  and  New  Jersey 
to  Berkley  and  Carteret,  and  their  settlement  with 
the  English  speaking  races.  This  consolidation  of 
territory  also  enabled  us  to  show  a  united  front  to 
Great  Britain,  when  we  threw  off  her  yoke,  declared 
our  independence,  and  formed  the  mighty  Republic 
of  the  United  States  of  North  America,  which  who 
shall  say  hereafter  may  not  be  the  United  States  of 
the  World.  What  would  have  been  the  result  had  a 
single  Dutch  armed  ship  aided  D'Hinoyossa  against 
the  frigate  Guinea?  It  might  have  repulsed  the 
attack,  and  whilst  New  Amstel  stood  the  Dutch  would 
have  endeavored  to  have  recovered  Manhattan.  If 
New  Netherlands,  or  even  the  Dutch  settlements  on 
the  South  river,  had  divided  New  England  from 
Maryland  and  the  states  south  of  her,  as  a  conse 
quence  there  would  have  been  no  Pennsylvania,  or 
possibly  New  Jersey  or  New  York,  but  a  foreign 

European  Permanent  League  of  Peace  at  Paris,  whose  sitting  was 
put  an  end  to  by  the  Prussian  war.  lie  also  laid  them  formally  in  a 
series  of  resolutions  before  the  Pennsylvania  Peace  Society  on  the 
27th  of  November,  1869,  and  before  the  Peace  Union,  New  York, 
May  27,  1870. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  439 

people,  speaking  a  different  language  and  having  dif 
ferent  customs,  severing  communication  between  the 
English  colonies  north  and  south  of  the  Delaware, 
and  thus  prevented  not  only  united  action,  but  prob 
ably  even  communication  between  them.  Could  the 
British  colonies,  thus  separated,  without  the  aid  of 
Delaware,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  York,  ever  have 
hoped  to  have  thrown  off  the  yoke  of  the  mother 
country  ?  What  the  course  of  events  would  have 
been  no  man  can  say.  But  the  capture  of  New  Am- 
stel  was  the  cause  of  the  settlement  of  the  Delaware 
by  the  English  and  the  foundation  of  Pennsylvania, 
by  the  uniting  of  the  territory  from  Maine  to  Georgia 
under  English  rule,  which  caused  the  union  of  the 
colonies  as  states,  and  as  a  consequence  the  formation 
of  the  great  American  Republic,  which  has  had  and 
will  still  have  an  immense  effect  on  the  destinies  of 
the  world.  Without  the  capture  of  this  little  fortress 
this  might  not  have  been.  Therefore,  never  perhaps 
in  the  history  of  the  world  was  the  capture  of  so  in 
significant  a  stronghold  productive  of  such  momentous 
events  for  the  benefit  of  mankind. 

After  the  capture  of  New  Amstel,  the  English  con 
fiscated  the  property  of  D'Hinoyossa,  Van  Sweringen, 
and  Alricks.  Part  of  D'Hinoyossa's  property  con 
sisted  of  150  acres  of  marsh  land  near  the  fort,  was 
granted  to  Captain  John  Carr;  another  part  described 
as  a  certain  island  in  the  Delaware  river,  called 
Swarten  Natton  Island,  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Christina  Kill,  and  on  the  west  by  Little  Creek,  con 
taining  300  acres,  was  granted  to  Thomas  Wollaston. 


440  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

James  Crawford,1  Herman  Otto,  and  Gerard  Otto. 
To  John  Carr  was  also  granted  all  the  estate,  both 
real  and  personal,  of  Gerrit  Van  Sweringen,  amongst 
which  was  a  house  and  ground  in  New  Amstel.  Peter 
Alricks'  estate  was  granted  to  William  Tomm,  amongst 
which  property  was  an  island  in  the  Delaware,  about 
seven  miles  below  New  Castle.2  The  grants  to  John 
Carr  were  made  "  for  good  services  in  storming  and 
reducing  the  fort."  To  William  Tomm,  for  services 
on  the  Delaware.3  No  mention  is  made  of  the  reason 
of  the  grant  to  the  others.  Alricks,  however,  soon 
succeeded  in  being  taken  into  favor  by  the  English, 
for  on  the  21st  of  November,  1665,  he  received  a 
special  license  to  trade  and  traffic  with  the  Indians 
in  and  about  the  Whorekill.4  He  was  also  allowed 
to  pass  from  New  York  to  Delaware,  and  from  thence 
to  Maryland  and  return,  with  a  servant  and  six 
horses;5  and  a  few  years  later  he  was  appointed  one 
of  the  counsellors.6 

D'Hinoyossa,  Van  Sweringen,  and  many  other 
citizens  of  New  Amstel,  after  the  surrender  retired 
into  Maryland.  Several  of  them  settled  permanently 
there,  and  there  many  of  their  descendants  yet  re- 

1  This  was  the  first  ancestor  of  the  numerous  and  influential  family 
of  Crawfords  in  this  State,  many  of  whom  yet  reside  in  this  county. 
Theodore  F.  Crawford,  Esq.,  of  Wilmington,  is  one  of  his  descend 


ants. 

2 


The  Labadists  speak  of  Peter  Alricks  owning  an  island  opposite 
Burlington,  N.  J. 

3  Delaware  Records. 

4  We  now  use  the  English  mode  of  spelling  this  place. 

5  MSS.  in  Reg.  Penn.,  vol.  4,  p.  75. 

6  Smith  New  Jersey,  p.  52. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  441 

main.  D'Hinoyossa  settled  on  Foster's  Island,  in  the 
Chesapeake,  where  he  lived  several  years :  it  is  at 
tached  to  Talbot  county,  Maryland.  In  1671  he 
petitioned  the  Maryland  Assembly  that  he,  Marga- 
retta  his  wife,  and  his  children,  Alexander,  John, 
Peter,  Maria,  Johanna.  Christina,  and  Barbara,  might 
be  naturalized.  It  is  said  that  he  applied  to  the 
English  for  an  office  :  it  is  certain  he  did  for  his  for 
feited  estate,  which  is  proved  by  the  following  letter, 
the  last  known  on  record  that  he  has  written.  It 
was  written  from  the  house  of  Captain  Thomas  How- 
ell,  of  St.  Mary's,  to  Colonel  Nichols,  who  was  then 
Governor  of  what  was  New  Netherlands.  It  says  : 
"  Your  honor's  very  agreeable  answer  to  my  letters 
came  safely  here,  and  I  learn  from  it  that  your  honor 
is  sorry  for  my  loss.  If  your  honor  would  please  to 
console  me  therein,  it  can  be  done  by  giving  me  the 
rest  of  my  lost  estate ;  and  could  I  get  it  back,  I  am 
resolved  to  live  and  die  under  your  honor's  govern 
ment,  yea,  on  the  same  conditions  that  I  had  from 
the  City  of  Amsterdam.  Meanwhile,  should  your 
honor  incline  thereunto,  the  answer  should  be  sent  to 
me  at  Captain  Thomas  Howell's,  in  Maryland,  where 
I  shall  remain  two  or  three  months.  Should  these 
not  be  accepted  by  your  honor,  I  would  hereby  re 
spectfully  request  you  to  send  me  a  letter  under  your 
honor's  hand  to  His  Highness  the  Duke  of  York,  in 
order  that  I  may  take  occasion  to  apply  in  London 
to  His  Highness  aforesaid  on  the  subject."1  Nicholson 

1  Xeil's  Terra  Marise,  p.  163.     Also  Broadhead  and  O'Callighan, 
vol.  3,  p.  83. 


442  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

paid  no  attention  to  this  respectful  petition,  and  the 
gallant  old  soldier  eventually  returned  to  Holland, 
and  entered  the  Dutch  army,  where  he  served  in  the 
wars  between  Louis  XIV.,  King  of  France,  and  the 
Republic  of  Holland.  He  was  one  of  the  garrison 
of  a  fortress  that  surrendered  to  the  "French,  after 
which,  it  is  said,  he  ended  his  days  in  Holland.1 
Whatever  may  be  said  of  his  discretion  in  defend 
ing  an  untenable  fort,  he  evidently  displayed  great 
bravery.  His  whole  course  shows  him  to  have  been 
a  man  of  great  nerve  and  action.  Van  Sweringen 
also  became  naturalized  as  a  citizen  of  Maryland. 
After  leaving  Delaware  he  resided  in  the  town  of  St. 
Mary's,  in  that  State. 

The  name  of  the  town  of  New  Amstel  was  changed 
to  that  of  New  Castle,  which  name  it  has  ever  since 
borne.  Altona  again  received  its  old  name  of  Chris 
tina,  and  the  great  river — a  part  of  which  forms  a 
portion  of  our  State — and  the  great  bay  into  which 
it  flows,  lost  its  name  of  South  river,  and  has  ever 
since  been  known  by  its  English  name  of  Delaware. 

Hugh  Hyde  and  Thomas  Morley,  the  captains  of 
the  frigate,  for  their  services  in  capturing  New  Am 
stel,  had  granted  to  them  a  place  to  hold  as  a  manor, 
named  Grimstead,  at  the  head  of  the  Delaware.  It 
was  called  by  the  Indians  Chipussen.  They  were  to 
stock  and  people  it  in  six  years;  otherwise  their 
grant  would  be  voidable.  They  were  to  be  lords  of 
the  manor,  and  had  the  right  of  holding  "  Courts 
Leet."  This  was  an  ancient  English  court,  held  by 

1  London  Documents.     O'Callighan,  vol.  2,  p.  554. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  443 

lords  of  the  manor,  which  has  now  even  in  that 
country  fallen  into  disuse.  It  had  jurisdiction  from 
common  nuisances  and  other  offences  against  the 
public  peace  and  trade,  down  to  eaves'  dropping  (lis 
tening  under  the  eaves  of  houses)  and  other  trifling- 
offences.  Its  business  is  now  done  by  Courts  of 
Quarter  and  General  Sessions, 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

Title  of  English  and  Dutch  to  New  Netherlands— English  had  equal 
rights — Character  of  the  prominent  Dutch  officials  who  took  part 
in  Delaware  affairs — Character  of  Stuyvesant — Kind  to  his  friends 
— Energetic — Great  tyrant — Partial  and  unjust  judge — His  perse 
cution  of  Just  Teunissen — Of  Sabout  Claessen — Of  the  Eight  Men 
whom  he  imprisons — Banishes  Kuyter  and  Melynr— Confiscates 
their  property — Also  that  of  Van  der  Capclle — Banishes  Van  dor 
Donk  and  Gouvert  Lockermans — Arrests  Augustine  Herman — Ar 
rests  Van  Dincklage,  vice-governor  and  judge — Puts  him  in  guard 
house — Persecutes  people  with  false  suits — His  will  law — His  gov 
ernment  a  fraud — Notary  fears  to  buy  property,  for  fear  it  would 
be  confiscated — Insults  Van  Dyck  the  fiscal — His  councillors  for 
eigners  or  men  of  bad  character — Dissolves  a  convention  with 
threats — His  haughty  message — Is  opposed — Charter  procured  for 
New  Amsterdam — Retires  to  his  farm  after  capture  by  English — 
His  life  and  death — Complaint  of  deputies  of  New  Amsterdam  to 
States  General — Their  names — Their  complaints — Company  make 
laws  to  suit  themselves — Plunder  settlers'  goods — Of  tyranny  of 
Stuyvesant's  government,  under  which  life  and  property  are  not 
safe — Company's  poverty  cause  them  to  oppress — Second  remon 
strance  of  the  deputies — Caustic  review  of  the  administration  of 
Kieft  and  Stuyvesant — High  duties  injure  trade — Goods  mostly 
smuggled — Kieft  and  Stuyvesant  claim  sovereign  power — Kieft' s 
plan  to  build  a  church — Takes  advantage  of  drunkenness  to  obtain 
subscriptions — Money  raised  for  school  and  poor  spent  by  Com 
pany — Excise  laid  on  wine  and  beer — Kieft  uses  such  lofty  lan 
guage  that  the  people  cannot  understand  him — Public  money 
placed  with  the  Company's — Free  negro  slaves  against  law- 
Character  of  fiscal  Hooyhens — Censure  of  Stuyvesant — He  uses 
public  money  for  private  purposes; — Wastes  it  in  unnecessary 
councillors — Company's  measures  suspected — Fort  a  ruin — Money 
raised  to  repair  it  spent  by  Stuyvesant— His  abuse— He  is  an 
unjust  judge— Partial  and  oppressive— Abuses  those  who  differ 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  445 

•with  him — Abuses  the  Eight  Men — Threatens  to  kill  those  who 
appeal  to  Holland — He  sells  arms  to  Indians — Carries  on  all  sorts 
of  business — Carries  on  trade  which  he  forbids  to  others  on  pain 
of  death — His  propensity  to  confiscate  everything  damages  trade 
of  New  Amsterdam — Ships  afraid  to  come  on  that  account — Col 
lecting  debts  from  citizens,  refuses  to  deduct  what  the  Company 
owes  them — Enters  room  of  Van  der  Donk — Seizes  draft  of  com 
plaint  of  deputies — Arrests  him — Arrests  and  guards  by  soldiers 
all  who  differ  with  him — Excludes  Van  Dyck  from  the  council — 
Character  of  Stuyvesant's  council — Of  Brian  Nuton,  who  loves 
and  fears  Stuyvesant,  and  always  says  "  yes" — Of  Adrian  Keyser, 
who  holds  his  tongue — Of  the  captains  of  the  ships  as  councillors, 
whom  Stuyvesant  calls  "  a  pack  of  thieves" — Of  Van  Dyck,  "  whose 
head  is  a  trouble  to  him" — They  are  the  judges  that  rule  New 
York  and  Delaware — Bad  character  of  Tienhoven,  the  Secretary 
of  State. 

IT  has  been  the  custom  of  many  writers  to 
condemn  the  English  for  their  attack  upon  the 
Dutch,  and  the  capture  of  New  Netherlands. 
The  Dutch  have  been  considered  in  the  right,  and 
the  English  in  the  wrong.  It  is  not  our  purpose  in 
this  history  to  enter  into  an  elaborate  discussion  of 
the  title  of  the  two  nations  to  the  territory  on  this 
continent  then  called  New  Netherlands.  It  will  be 
simply  sufficient  to  state  that  the  English  discovered 
and  explored  that  portion  of  the  continent  in  which 
New  Netherlands  was  situated  before  the  Dutch ; 
that  they  actually  made  formal  claim,  and  granted 
portions  of  it  to  their  citizens  before  the  Dutch  en 
tered  either  the  Delaware  or  the  Hudson ;  that  they 
continually,  both  on  the  Delaware  and  Hudson,  de 
nied  the  right  of  the  Dutch  to  the  land,  gave  them 
warning  repeatedly  that  they  were  trespassers  on 


446  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

English  territory,  and  made  constant  endeavors  to 
settle,  both  on  the  Delaware  and  at  New  York.  That 
on  the  former  river  their  citizens,  as  will  be  seen  by 
the  former  pages  of  this  history,  were  driven  away, 
their  trading  houses  burnt,  and  their  settlements  de 
stroyed.  That  at  the  first,  when  formal  notice  was 
given  to  the  Dutch  by  the  English  ambassador,  they 
made  evasive  replies,  instead  of  honestly  claiming 
their  rights.  That  up  to  the  time  of  the  capture  of 
New  Netherlands  the  English  were  unceasing  and 
incessant  in  their  demands  for  the  territory,  and 
never  for  an  instant  gave  up  the  claim  to  what  they 
considered  their  own.  The  English,  therefore,  taking 
all  the  circumstances  into  consideration,  appear  'to 
have  had  at  least  as  good  a  right  to  the  territory  as 
the  Dutch,  and  in  our  opinion  a  better.  In  the  cap 
ture  of  the  Dutch  possessions  they  did  not,  therefore, 
commence  an  entirely  causeless  war.  but  took  what 
they  believed  was  their  own  lands,  and  of  which  they 
believed  the  Dutch  not  only  held  violent  and  wrong 
ful  possession,  but  in  addition  committed  outrages  on 
their  citizens  by  driving  them  away,  when  they  went 
there  for  the  purposes  of  trade  and  settlement. 

We  close  the  first  volume  of  our  history  by  a  de 
scription  of  the  characters  of  Stuyvesant  and  Kieft, 
the  last  Dutch  governors  of  New  Netherlands,  of 
whom  Delaware  was  a  part;  and  also  a  description 
of  the  character  of  the  ruling  Dutch  officials,  who, 
although  residents  of  New  Amsterdam,  were  mixed 
up  with  our  affairs,  and  really  ruled  the  territory 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  447 

now  composing  our  State.     And  also  in  the  succeed 
ing  chapter  a  description  of  such  Dutch  or  Knicker- 
hocker  families  that  were  famous,  and  who  settled  in 
New  Netherlands  before  its  conquest  by  the  English, 
and  whom  we  can  trace  by  the  records  as  having  de 
scendants    resident    in    Delaware,    and    who,    being 
amongst  the  patriarchs  of  our  State,  have  their  blood 
flowing  through  the  veins  of  thousands  of  our  citizens, 
mixed  with  that  of  every  other  civilized  nation  under 
the   sun.     They   with    the    Swedes   and   Finns,   the 
Huguenot  French  and  Protestant  refugees,  and  a  body 
of  leading  Irish  citizens,  who  emigrated  to  Delaware 
about  the  years  1737  and  1745,  engrafted  on  the 
English  that  came  with  Sir  Robert  Carr  and  William 
Penn,  may  be  considered  as  the  progenitors  of  a  large 
portion  of  the  citizens  of  Delaware.     They  were  the 
fathers  of  intermingled  tribes,  which  exist  not  only 
in  Delaware,  but  are  spread  over  all  the  States  of  the 
Union,  where  they  have  always  taken  leading  parts 
in  the  public  and  private  business  of  whatever  State 
they  may  happen  to  be  residents.     In  a  great  pro 
portion  of  Delaware  it  is  only  recently  that  the  cur 
rent  of  modern  emigration  has  began  to  flow.     Pre 
vious  to  1845  there  were  barely  a  dozen  families  of 
foreign  birth  resident  south  of  the  Appoquinemink. 
In   the    city   of  Wilmington    and    the    hundreds    of 
Brandy  wine  and  Christiana,  there  has  always  been  a 
steady  flow  of  emigration  and  an  infusion  of  new 
blood.  •  But  in  the  lower  part  of  New  Castle  and 
Kent  and   Sussex  the  citizens  were  until  recently 
mostly  born  on  the  soil,  and  their  descent  could  be 


448  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE. 

traced  to,  comparatively  speaking,  few  families,  prin 
cipally  Dutch,  English,  and  Irish  Presbyterians,  and 
French  refugee  Protestants,  intermingled  with  a  few 
Swedes  and  Finns.  Therefore,  in  giving  a  sketch  of 
these  leading  Dutch  families,  we  really  give  a  history 
of  the  ancestors,  from  whom  a  large  number  of  our 
citizens  are  descended.  Of  the  others  we  shall  speak 
in  their  chronological  order. 

Of  the  characters  of  the  prominent  men  who  re 
sided,  and  ruled  our  State,  on  the  Delaware,  our 
readers  can  form  a  pretty  correct  judgment  from  the 
account  of  their  actions  in  our  previous  pages.  But 
of  those  resident  at  the  Manhattans,  a  further  de 
scription  of  them  will  be  needed  to  form  a  correct 
idea  of  their  characteristics.  This  we  have  been 
enabled  to  give  from  the  disputes  that  took  place 
between  them,  which  taking  the  part  of  remonstrances 
and  petitions,  and  having  been  reduced  to  writing 
and  filed  :  their  quarrels  have  thus  illustrated  their 
history. 

Stuyvesant  (which,  reduced  to  English,  means  holy 
saint)  was  the  supreme  governor  of  Delaware  (the 
others  merely  sub-governors),  and  one  of  the  greatest 
tyrants.  With  some  good,  he  had  nearly  all  the  bad 
qualities  that  would  render  him  unfit  for  a  ruler.  He 
was  bold  and  energetic,  kind  to  his  friends,  and  prob 
ably  as  moral  as  most  men  of  his  day.  He  was  an 
elder  in  the  church,  and,  as  far  as  known,  a  faithful 
outward  performer  of  his  religious  duties ;  but  here 
the  list  of  his  good  qualities  may  be  said  to  end.  If 
the  statements  made  to  the  Government  of  Holland 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  449 

and  the  West  India  Company  are  correct,  and  we 
have  no  good  reason  to  doubt  them,  for  they  are  in 
part  proved,  and  were  made  by  the  best  citizens  of 
New  Amsterdam,  he  was  one  of  the  worst  rulers  of 
his  age.  Another  of  the  many  instances  that  can  be 
pointed  at  to  show  how  little  man  is  to  be  trusted 
with  power  over  his  fellows.  He  cheated  both  the 
Company  and  the  public.  Money  going  into  his 
hands,  wrenched  from  the  suffering  citizens  of  Man 
hattan,  who  had  been  precipitated  into  an  unjust  war 
with  the  Indians  by  Kieft,  his  predecessor,  and  whose 
homes  were  destroyed  and  whose  fields  were  ravaged, 
he  diverted  ta  his  own  private  purposes.  He  sought 
eagerly  for  confiscations,  and  using  his  powers  as  a 
judge,  under  the  forms  of  law  robbed  all  who  were 
opposed  to  him  within  his  power.  He  was  abusive 
to  all  with  whom  he  differed,  both  in  his  public  and 
private  intercourse.  We  will  cite  the  following  as  a 
few  cases  of  his  injustice,  viz. : — Whilst  he  sold  the 
guns  and  powder  of  the  Company  to  the  Indians,  and 
kept  the  proceeds,  on  a  similar  charge  being  made, 
without  proof,  against  Joost  Teunissen,  a  baker,  he 
threatened  him  with  torture,  and  when  he  applied  for 
permission  to  travel  through  the  country  to  buy 
wheat  to  carry  on  his  business,  refused  him  a  license 
and  threatened  him  with  "a  caning;"  and  so  malig 
nantly  persecuted  him  and  Sabout  Claessen  that  they 
had  to  fly  from  the  colony.  The  latter  he  deprived 
of  his  property.  Every  man  who  opposed  him  he 
endeavored  to  crush  and  ruin.  The  Eight  Men  elected 
as  the  counsellors  of  the  citizens  who  made  the  com- 

29 


450  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

plaint  against  the  Indian  war,  to  use  the  words  of 
Van  der  Donk,  ahe  caused  to  be  separated,  put  in 
prison,  locked  up,  or  hunted  and  utterly  terrified." 
In  their  complaint  they  alleged,  "the  Indians  lived 
amongst  them  like  larnbs,  injuring  no  one,  but  afford 
ing  them  every  assistance,  until  they  suffered  out 
rages  which  originated  in  a  foolish  hankering  after 
war."  He  banished  Joachim  Peterson  Kuyter  and 
Cornelius  Melyn — one,  as  he  alleged,  for  shaking  his 
finger  at  him  in  the  council  of  the  Eight  Men,  but 
the  real  reason  for  the  banishment  of  both  was  send 
ing  Gouvert  Lockermans  to  Holland  with  the  com 
plaints  of  the  Eight  Men  in  relation  to  his  evil  gov 
ernment.  They  appealed  from  his  judgment  to  Hol 
land,  and  in  revenge  he  confiscated  their  property, 
and  also  confiscated  a  vessel  belonging  to  Van  der 
Cnpelle,  the  Patroon  of  Staten  Island,  on  a  false  charge, 
because  he  thought  that  Melyn  had  in  some  way  an 
interest  in  it.  Another  instance  of  his  oppression 
was  in  the  case  of  Van  der  Donk,  who  had  prepared 
a  complaint  of  the  Select  Men  to  send  to  Holland. 
He  entered  his  room,  seized  on  the  rough  draft  of  it, 
and  banished  him  from  the  colony.  He  trumped  up 
a  charge  against  (and  prosecuted  capitally)  Gouvert 
Lockermans,  one  of  the  Nine  Men,1  and  sentenced 
him  to  three  years'  banishment,  and  threatened  to 
enforce  that  sentence  unless  he  signed  a  certificate 
that  he  could  say  nothing  of  him  "but  what  was 
honest  and  honorable."  He  arrested  Augustine 

1  A  body  of  men  chosen  by  the  citizens  of  New  Amsterdam  to 
assist  iu  the  government. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  451 

Herman  for  refusing  to  produce  a  paper  that  was 
drawn  up  for  circulation  amongst  the  Nine  Men.  He 
sent  a  file  of  soldiers  into  the  court,  and  arrested  Van 
Dincklage,  the  vice  governor,  whilst  he  was  sitting  on 
the  bench  as  a  judge,  and  confined  him  several  days 
in  the  guard-house,  and  then  acting  beyond  the  power 
delegated  to  him,  turned  him  out  of  his  office.  He 
instituted  numerous  false  suits  to  ruin  people — he 
himself  acting  as  judge — and  confiscated  their  pro 
perty.  The  government  was  administered  by  him 
self  and  a  few  sycophants  whom  he  controlled.  "  His 
will  was  the  law."  Ordinances  were  made  and  en 
forced  of  which  the  community  received  no  notice. 
He  imitated  in  his  petty  government  a  royal  state, 
and  had  a  guard  of  halbadiers  around  him.  Those 
who  attempted  to  appeal  to  Holland  from  his  judg 
ment  were  fined  and  imprisoned.  So  great  was  the 
terror  of  him,  that  a  notary  public  sent  from  Holland 
wrote  back,  that  he  could  get  no  one  to  assist  him  to 
prepare  his  papers,  and  that  he  dared  not  purchase 
property  for  fear  false  suit  would  be  entered  against 
him,  and  that  it  would  be  confiscated.  He  was  in 
sulting  and  brutal  to  those  officers  who  differed  with 
him,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel  by  the  formal  com 
plaint  of  the  Deputies  of  the  people  to  the  States- 
General,  and  in  his  treatment  of  Van  Dyck  the  fiscal, 
who  by  law  had  the  direction  of  all  actions,  both 
civil  and  criminal,  and  who  was  entitled  to  a  seat  in 
the  court.  When  he  endeavored  to  exercise  this 
right,  Stuyvesant  told  him  to  "get  out"  and  said, 
Whenever  I  want  you,  I  will  call  for  you."  He 


c 

.. 


452  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

also  degraded  him  by  ordering  him  to  "keep  the  hogs 
out  of  the  fort" — work  before  done  by  a  negro — and 
whenever  he  spoke  to  him  or  contradicted  him,  to  use 
his  own  words,  "got  a  groivljust  as  if  he  would  eat  him 
up."  He  selected  his  councillors  too  often  from  the 
worst  and  most  ignorant  people,  from  foreigners  to 
the  exclusion  of  his  own  countrymen,  and  from  men 
dependent  upon  his  bounty,  or  who  were  devoted  to 
his  will.  When  in  1653  a  convention  assembled  and 
demanded  that  no  new  laws  should  be  enacted  and 
no  officers  appointed  but  by  the  consent  of  the  people, 
he  ordered  them  to  separate  on  pain  of  punishment, 
and  said  to  them,  "We  derive  our  authority  from 
God  and  the  Company,  and  not  from  a  few  ignorant 
subjects."  He  was,  however,  manfully  opposed  by 
Gouvert  Lockerrnans,  Augustine  Herman,  and  other 
sturdy  burghers  of  New  Amsterdam,  notwithstanding 
his  threats  and  confiscations.  They  finally  succeeded 
in  getting  a  charter  for  New  Amsterdam,  giving  the 
citizens  a  voice  in  the  government,  and  thus  checking 
his  power.  After  the  capture  of  New  Netherlands 
by  the  English,  he  retired  to  his  farm. 

Stuyvesant  was  born  in  Holland  in  1602.  He  en 
tered  the  army,  served  in  the  West  Indies,  and  lost 
a  leg  in  the  attack  on  the  Island  of  St.  Martins.  He 
was  also  at  one  time  governor  of  Curocoa,  one  of  the 
West  India  islands.  He  died  in  New  York  in  1682, 
and  was  buried  in  St.  Mark's  Church. 

The  most  caustic  review  of  his  actions,  and  the 
men  who  administered  the  government  under  him, 
was  made  in  1564  by  the  Deputies  of  the  citizens  of 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  453 

Manhattan  in  two  formal  complaints  to  the  States- 
General.  Amongst  them  were  Augustine  Herman 
and  Gouvert  Lockermans,  the  ancestors  of  several  of 
our  Delaware  families.  In  these  complaints,  amongst 
other  matters  they  spoke  of  unsuitable  government, 
onerous  imposts  and  duties,  and  long  continued  war. 
They  alleged  that  the  Company  had  never  adhered 
to  the  privileges  of  New  Netherlands,  but  always 
altered  them  to  suit  its  own  convenience ;  that  "  a 
man  was  not  master  of  his  own  vessel,  but  that  the 
Company's  soldiers  were  put  on  board,  goods  by  force 
discharged  from  their  warehouse  were  roughly  used 
and  robbed  by  the  Company's  servants."  Or  as  they 
quaintly  express  it,  "  They  bite  sharpe  and  carry 
away?  They  alleged  that  under  Stuyvesant's  gov 
ernment  a  man  was  not  sure  of  either  life  or  property. 
"  If,"  said  they,  "  he  but  say  anything  displeasing  or 
otherwise  offensive  to  the  governors.  This  tyranny," 
they  said,  "  consisted  mostly  in  arrests,  imprison 
ments,  banishments,  confiscations,  harsh  prosecutions, 
blows,  scoldings,  reckoning  half  faults  for  entire 
ones,  &c.,  and  offering  every  one  as  many  insults  as 
they  can  invent."  The  poverty  of  the  Company, 
they  said,  caused  them  to  have  recourse  to  various 
bad  finesses,  §uch  as  extortions  and  confiscations. 
They  also  alleged  that  the  "  high  duties  and  confis 
cations  made  with  partiality  ruined  the  trade ;  that 
the  principal  portion  of  it  was  done  by  smugglers." 
To  use  their  own  words,  u  The  duty  is  high.  Of 
inspection  and  seizure  there  is  no  lack,  and  thus 
lawful  trade  is  turned  aside,  except  some  little  which 


454  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

is  carried  on  only  pro  forma  in  order  to  push  smuggling 
under  this  cloak."  After  enumerating  many  griev 
ances,  they  said,  "The  people  have  been  driven  away 
by  harsh  and  unwarrantable  proceedings,  and  that 
the  Company  had  instructed  Kieft  Ho  pick  out  faults 
where  none  existed,  and  to  consider  a  partial  a  com 
plete  error/  "  They  also  said  that  Kieft  and  Stuy ve- 
sant  alleged  that  they  were  the  same  as  the  prince  in 
Netherlands,  and  claimed  sovereign  power ;  and  that 
Stuyvesant  alleged,  in  addition,  that  the  "prince  was 
above  the  law"  They  complained  of  the  following 
plan  taken  by  Kieft  to  build  a  church,  which  exem 
plifies  the  manners  of  that  age.  Said  they,  "We 
lacked  money,  and  where  was  this  to  be  got  ?  It 
happened  about  this  time  that  Evergardus  Bogardus, 
the  clergyman,  gave  in  marriage  a  daughter  by  his 
first  wife.  The  director  thought  this  a  good  time  for 
his  purpose,  and  set  to  work  after  the  fourth  or  fifth 
drink;  and  he  himself  setting  a  liberal  example  let 
the  wedding  guests  sign  whatever  they  were  disposed 
to  give  towards  the  church.  Each  then  with  a  light 
head  subscribed  away  at  a  handsome  rate,  one  com 
peting  with  the  other,  and  although  some  heartily  re 
pented  when  their  senses  came  back,  they  were  obliged 
nevertheless  to  pay.  Nothing  could  avail  against  it. 
The  church  then  was  located  in  the  fort,  in  opposition 
to  every  one's  opinion.  The  honor  and  ownership  of 
that  work,"  they  say,  "must  be  inferred  from  the 
inscription,  which  in  our  opinion  is  somewhat  am 
biguous,  and  reads  thus:  Anno  1642,  William  Kieft, 
Directeur  General,  heeft  de  gemeente  desen  temple  doen 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  455 

bouwen.  But  laying  aside  that,  the  people  paid  for 
the  church." 

They  also  alleged  that  "  the  plate  had  long  been 
passed  around  for  a  common  school,  which  has  been 
built  with  words ;  for,"  they  said,  "as  yet  the  first 
stone  is  not  laid."  The  money,  however,  had  all 
been  spent.  The  money  collected  for  the  poor  was 
also  spent  by  the  Company.  Excises  were  levied  on 
wine  and  beer,  and  when  remonstrance  was  made  to 
Kieft,  "  instead  of  relief  they  received  a  sharp  repri 
mand  and  a  written  answer,  which,  as  was  his  cus 
tom,"  they  said,  "  he  had  couched  in  so  lengthy  and 
diffuse  a  style,  that  poor,  humble  people,  such  as  are 
here,  must  inevitably  commit  mistakes  regarding  it. 
Money,"  they  complained,  "contributed  by  the  people 
for  public  purposes  was  absorbed  amongst  the  Com 
pany's  property,  and  the  children  of  certain  free 
negroes  were  held  in  slavery," — to  use  their  own 
words — "contrary  to  all  public  law,  that  any  one  born 
of  a  free  Christian  mother  should  not  be  a  slave."  In 
Kieft' s  fiscal,  Van  der  Hooykens,  they  said,  "no  con 
fidence  could  be  placed,  in  consequence  of  his  drink 
ing,  in  which  all  his  science  consisted." 

Their  censure  of  Stuyvesant  was  even  more  severe 
than  that  of  Kieft.  They  alleged  that  he  wasted  the 
public  money  in  unnecessary  counsellors;  that  money 
raised  for  public,  he  employed  for  private  purposes ; 
that  the  Company's  grain  measure  was  suspected, 
but,  sard  they,  "who  dare  say  so?"  They  complained 
terribly  of  his  "ill  and  spiteful  language,  even  to  those 
who  were  officially  brought  to  speak  with  him.  If 


456  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

he  were  not  in  a  good  humor,"  said  they,  "they  were 
berated  as  rascals,  beer  drinkers,  &c.  The  fort,"  they 
alleged,  "laid  like  a  mole  hill  in  a  ruin,  whilst  he  had 
spent  the  money  raised  for  its  repair  by  the  people 
for  other  purposes." 

They  alleged  he  differed  from  Kieft  in  being  "more 
active  and  malignant  in  looking  up  causes  for  prose 
cution  against  his  innocent  opponents;  and  that  in 
his  court  he  would  browbeat  and  dispute  and  harrass 
one  of  the  two  parties,  not  as  beseemeth  a  judge,  but 
as  a  zealous  advocate ;  and  that  on  business  before 
his  council  he  would  say,  6  Gentlemen,  this  is  my 
opinion.  If  any  of  you  have  aught  to  object  to  it, 
let  him  express  it.'  If  any  one  then  on  the  instant 
offer  objection,  his  honor  burst  forth  incontinently  in 
a  rage,  and  makes  such  a  to-do  that  it  is  dreadful ; 
yea,  he  frequently  abuses  the  councillors  as  this  and 
that  in  foul  language,  better  befitting  the  fish  market 
than  the  council;  and  if  all  this  be  tolerated,  he  will 
not  be  satisfied  until  he  have  his  way."  They  alleged 
that  when  Kieft,  his  predecessor,  was  accused  before 
him,  he  acted  as  his  advocate,  and  spoke  of  the 
"Eight  Men"  as  boorish  brutes,  threatened  Melyn, 
who  appealed  from  his  decision,  with  having  him 
"hanged  on  the  highest  tree  in  New  Netherlands," 
and  also  of  threatening  those  who  appealed  from  his 
judgment  to  Holland  with  death. 

They  accused  him  of  selling  powder  and  arms  to 
the  Indians;  of  preventing  people  by  threats  from 
letting  it  be  known  how  they  were  treated;  of  carry 
ing  on  all  sorts  of  business;  of  being  a  brewer,  a 


HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE   OF    DELAWARE.  457 

farmer,  a  part  owner  of  ships,  a  merchant;  of  having 
various  stores  of  his  own;  of  trading  in  contraband 
articles,  and  of  forbidding  "trade  to  others  on  pain 
of  death,"  and  then  carrying  it  on  himself.  They 
said  his  promptness  in  confiscating  caused  great  dis 
content  amongst  the  inhabitants.  "Scarce  a  ship," 
said  they,  "  comes  near  the  place  that  he  does  not 
look  upon  as  a  prize.  Everywhere  there  is  such  an 
evil  report  that  not  a  ship  dare  venture  from  the 
Carribee  Islands."  Again  they  complained  that  al 
though  the  people  were  impoverished  by  the  war,  yet 
he  collected  rigidly  the  debts  of  the  Company,  and 
would  not  allow  debts  owing  by  the  Company  to  the 
citizens  as  an  offset.  Those  who  would  not  follow 
his  wishes,  they  said  he  denominated  as  "rascals, 
liars,  rebels,  and  usurers."  They  recited  at  length 
his  entry  into  the  room  of  Van  der  Donk,  his  seizure 
of  the  draft  of  the  complaint  of  the  Deputies,  and  of 
his  arrest  and  trial  before  the  Supreme  Council  on  a 
charge  of  having  committed  crimen  lesce  mojestatis. 
Those  who  took  part  in  public  affairs,  they  alleged, 
if  they  acted  contrary  to  his  will  and  pleasure,  were 
persecuted,  imprisoned,  and  guarded  by  soldiers. 
Amongst  other  instances  of  his  tyranny,  they  recited 
the  exclusion  of  Hendrick  Van  Dyck  from  the  council 
board  for  the  space  of  twenty -nine  months.  For  this 
he  gave  an  excuse,  that  "he  could  not.  keep  a  secret, 
but  divulged  whatever  was  done  there."  He  also 
frequently  declared  that  he  was  a  "villain,  a  scoun 
drel,  and  a  thief."  Such  was  the  character  given  of 
Stuy vesant  by  the  Deputies  of  New  Amsterdam.  In 
the  same  paper  they  give  the  following  as  the  char- 


458  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

acter  of  the  principal  men  of  his  council,  who  were 
also  the  Supreme  Council  of  Delaware. 

Brian  Nuton,  an  Englishman,  who  commanded  the 
soldiers,  they  describe  as  ignorant  of  the  Dutch  law 
and  language,  who  dreaded  Stuyvesant,  and  honored 
him  as  a  benefactor.  To  everything  "proposed  by 
Stuyvesant,  he  would  say  yes." 

Adrian  Keyser  they  described  sarcastically  as  "a 
man  who  had  not  forgotten  much  law."  His  saying 
was,  that  he  let  God's  water  run  over  God's  field. 
"He,"  they  alleged,  "can  say  nothing,  and  dare  not 
say  anything."  The  captains  of  the  ships  had  a  vote 
in  the  council  when  they  were  ashore,  but  they  ns- 
serted  "Stuyvesant  kept  them  so  dependent  that 
they  dared  not  speak.  He,"  they  said,  "once  called 
them  before  the  minister  'a  pack  of  thieves.'" 

Of  Hendrick  Van  Dyck,  who  was  also  fiscal  and 
commissary,  whom  Stuyvesant  called  a  "villain,  a 
scoundrel,  and  a  thief,"  they  spoke  of  "as  a  man 
wholly  intolerable  alike  in  words  and  deeds.  What 
shall  we  say,"  they  exclaim,  "of  one  whose  head  is  a 
trouble  to  him,  and  whose  screw  is  loose,  especially 
when  it  is  surrounded  by  a  little  sap  in  the  wood, 
which  is  no  rare  occurrence,  as  he  is  master  at  home." 
These  men  were  the  "  supreme  bench  of  justices" 
that  ruled  our  state,  as  well  as  New  York. 

The  Deputies  were,  however,  most  severe  on  the 
Secretary  of  State  of  New  Netherlands,  Cornelius 
Van  Tienhoven.  The  following  is  their  description 
of  his  character.  They  say :  "A  great  deal  might 
be  said  of  this  man — more  even  than  we  are  able  to 
et  forth.  For  brevity's  sake,  however,  we  shall 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  459 

select  here  and  there  a  few  traits.  He  is  crafty, 
subtle,  intelligent,  sharp-witted — good  gifts  when 
properly  applied.  He  is  one  of  those  who  have  been 
longest  in  this  country;  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
every  circumstance  relating  both  to  the  Christians 
and  the  Indians.  With  the  Indians  even  he  has  run 
about  like  an  Indian,  with  little  covering  and  a  patch 
before  him,  through  lust  for  the  prostitutes  to  whom 
he  has  ever  been  excessively  addicted,  and  with 
whom  he  has  so  much  intercourse,  that  no  punish 
ment  or  menaces  of  the  director  can  drive  him  from 
them.  He  is  a  great  adept  at  dissimulation,  and 
even  when  laughing  intends  to  bite,  and  professes 
the  warmest  friendship  when  he  hates  the  deepest. 
To  every  one  who  has  business  with  him — and  there 
is  scarcely  one  but  has — he  gives  a  favorable  reply, 
promises  assistance,  and  assists  scarcely  anybody,  or 
leads  them  continually  off  on  some  course  or  the 
other,  except  the  minister's  friends.  In  his  words 
and  acts  he  is  loose,  false,  deceitful,  and  given  to 
lying;  prodigal  of  promises,  and  when  it  comes  to 
performances,  nobody  is  home.  The  origin  of  the 
war  was  attributed  principally  to  him  and  some  of 
his  friends.  The  director  was  led  astray  by  his 
false  reports  and  lies.  Now  if  the  voice  of  the 
people,  by  this  maxim,  be  the  voice  of  God,  of  this 
man  hardly  any  good  can  with  truth  be  said,  and 
no  evil  concealed.  With  the  exception  of  the 
director  and  his  party,  the  whole  community  cries 
out  against  him,  as  a  villain,  a  murderer,  and  a 
traitor ;  and  that  he  must  quit  the  country,  or  there 
will  not  be  any  peace  with  the  Indians." 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

The  Dutch  patriarchs — Sketch  of  families  descended  from  them — 
Huguenot  French — The  first  Bayard — John  Paul  Jaquett — Jo 
hannes  de  Hayes — The  first  Statts  and  Comegys — Herman  sick — 
His  second  •wife — His  daughter  Margaretta,  first  described  Dela 
ware  young  lady — His  death — Gov.  Bassett  possesses  his  mansion 
— Its  destruction  by  fire — Tradition  of  Herman  and  his  horse — A 
description  of  his  descendants — Alricks'  descendants — Gouvert 
Lockermans — Sketch  of  his  life — Sketch  of  his  descendants — End 
of  first  volume. 

WE  conclude  this  last  chapter  of  the  first  volume 
of  our  history  by  a  short  account  of  some  of  the 
families  descended  from  the  Dutch  patriarchs  who 
were  residents  of  Delaware — whose  blood  now  flows 
through  the  veins  of  thousands  of  our  citizens,  both 
in  our  own  and  other  states.  Of  some  of  these  old 
families  every  link  can  be  traced  in  the  chain  of  their 
descent,  from  the  first  ancestor  to  the  present  exist 
ing  offspring.  Amongst  these  are  the  descendants 
of  Augustine  Herman  and  Gouvert  Lockermans.  In 
others  the  links  are  broken,  and  we  only  know  them 
from  the  similarity  and  peculiarity  of  their  names,, 
both  Christian  and  surname.  Oftentimes  a  child  of 
each  succeeding  generation  has  received  the  name  of 
its  father  or  grandfather,  and  so  it  has  been  handed 
down,  until  many  of  our  citizens  bear  the  same  name 
as  their  first  ancestor,  who  emigrated  here  more  than 
two  hundred  years  ago. 

A  large  proportion  of  our  public  men  have  always 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  461 

been  of  Dutch  descent,  either  by  the  father's  or 
mother's  side.  Even  after  the  conquest  of  the  State 
by  the  English,  for  many  years  most  of  the  principal 
magistrates  and  other  public  officers  were  Dutchmen. 
Amongst  the  numerous  families  who  are  in  whole  or 
in  part  descended  from  the  Dutch  patriarchs,  in  many 
cases  mixed  with  Huguenot  French,  are  the  Oldhams 
(on  the  mother's  side),  the  Van  Dykes,  the  Vande- 
grifts,  the  Bayards  (on  the  mother's  side),  the  Al- 
ricks,  the  Statts,  the  Vandevers,  the  Harmans,  the 
Comegys,  the  Vangezels,  the  Jaquetts,  the  Van 
Zandts,  the  Vances,  the  Hyatts,  the  Cochrans,  the 
Fountains,  the  Le  Counts,  the  Blackstones,  the  Kings, 
the  Andersons,  and  others.  There  were  also  families 
of  Van  Dykes,  Petersons,  and  Andersons,  who  were 
Swedes.  Amongst  those  who  derive  their  descents 
from  the  Huguenots  and  refugee  Protestant  French 
are  the  Bayards,  the  Bellvilles,  the  Bouchells,  the 
De  Hayes,  and  others.  The  Delaware  Bayards  are 
descended  from  Nicholas  Bayard,  who  fled  from 
France  to  Holland,  and  married  Anneke,  a  sister  of 
Stuyvesant.  They  had  three  sons,  Belthazar,  Peter, 
and  Nicholas.  Peter  left  New  York,  and  came  to 
Delaware  with  the  Labadists.  In  1675  he  received 
a  grant  of  Bombay  Hook  Island.  Four  years  after 
wards  he  purchased  the  right  of  the  Indian  owner, 
Maeesitt,  Sachem  of  Canswick,  for  one  gun  and  some 
other  matters.  From  this  Bayard  it  is  believed  the 
Bayards  x>f  Delaware  are  descended.  Bayard  street, 
in  New  York,  is  named  after  this  family.  The 
Bayards,  like  many  of  the  other  patiiirchal  Dutch 


462  HISTORY    OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE., 

Huguenot  families,  have  well  maintained  their  social 
and  political  standing.  The  family  have  been  dis 
tinguished  for  great  talents.  Three  succeeding  gene 
rations  of  them  have  represented  the  state  in  the 
United  States  Senate,  viz. :  the  celebrated  James  A. 
Bayard,  who  signed  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  then  his 
sons,  Richard  Bayard  and  James  A.  Bayard,  who  sat 
there  at  different  times,  and  Thomas  F.  Bayard,  the 
son  of  the  second  James  A.  Bayard,  who  at  the  time 
of  this  writing  represents  the  State  in  that  body. 

John  Paul  Jaquett,  the  second  Dutch  governor  of 
Delaware,  was  also  a  French  Protestant,1  who  had 
fled  from  France  to  Holland  to  avoid  religious  perse 
cution.  Before  his  arrival  in  Delaware,  however,  he 
had  resided  in  Brazil.  The  Jaquetts  lived  on  their 
farm,  holding  it  from  John  Paul  Jaquett,  the  first 
ancestor,  until  the  time  of  the  celebrated  Major 
Peter  Jaquett,  the  last  surviving  officer  of  the  Revo 
lution  belonging  to  Delaware.  This  land  was  granted 
to  Jaquett  soon  after  the  capture  of  Delaware  by  the 
Dutch.  It  is  now  called  Long  Hook,  and  belongs  to 
Theodore  Rogers,  Esq.  It  is  situated  at  the  end  of 
the  causeway  on  the  road  from  Wilmington  to  New 
Castle,  about  a  mile  from  the  bridge  at  the  foot  of 

1  The  statement  of  Jaquett  being  a  French  Protestant  is  made  on 
the  authority  of  Miss  Elizabeth  Montgomery,  in  her  "  Reminiscences 
of  Wilmington/'  a  work  written  and  edited  without  notes,  and  pub 
lished  in  1868.  It  gave  a  minute  and  graphic  account  of  Wilming 
ton,  and  its  vicinity,  and  its  citizens,  and  during  her  recollection. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  Captain  Hugh  Montgomery,  who  was  killed 
in  a  naval  action  during  the  Revolution.  She  was  born  in  1778,  and 
died  in  the  Episcopal  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  a  few  years  ago. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  463 

Market  street,  in  that  city.  In  1699  the  Labadists 
(Bankers  and  Sluyter)  crossed  the  Christiana  near  to 
this  farm.  They  speak  of  it  as  follows:  " We  pro 
ceeded  thence  a  small  distance  overland  to  a  place 
where  the  fortress  of  Christina  had  stood,  which  had 
been  constructed  and  possessed  by  the  Swedes,  but 
taken  by  the  Dutch  governor,  Stuyvesant,  and  after 
wards,  I  believed,  demolished  by  the  English.  *  *  * 
We  were  then  taken  over  the  Christina  Creek  in  a 
canoe,  and  landed  at  the  spot  where  Stuyvesant  threw 
up  his  battery  to  attack  the  fort,  and  compelled  them 
to  surrender.  At  this  spot  there  are  medlar  trees, 
which  bear  good  fruit,  from  which  one  Jaquett,  who 
does  not  live  far  from  there,  makes  good  brandy  or 
spirits,  which  we  tasted  and  found  even  better  than 
French  brandy."1  By  this  it  will  be  seen  that  in 
1679  Fort  Christina  was  destroyed. 

From  Johannes  de  Hayes  are  descended  the  Jan 
vier  (New  Castle)  family  on  the  female  side.  A 
picture  of  him  is  still  preserved  in  this  family,  and 
was  exhibited  to  an  audience  during  a  lecture  at 
Drawyers  Presbyterian  Church,  in  New  Castle  county, 
on  the  10th  of  May,  1842,  by  the  Rev.  George 
Foote.  Foote  said,  uHe  was  evidently,  as  his  cos 
tume  shows,  either  a  knight  or  a  military  officer  of 

1  The  medlar  is  a  fruit  not  now  raised  in  Delaware,  or  anywhere 
else  in  the  Union  that  we  know  of.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  peach, 
and  is  not  eatable  until  perfectly  rotten.  Allusion  is  made  to  it  in 
Shakespeare.,  when  he  says,  "Like  a  medlar,  rotten  ere  you  are  ripe." 
This  is  one  of  our  extinct  fruits.  How  many  more  plants  were  there 
that  used  to  grow  amongst  us  that  are  now  extinct?  The  fig  used  to 
be  raised  in  our  gardens*  There  are  none  grown  now. 


464  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

high  rank."1  In  1676  he  purchased  of  Joseph  Chew, 
a  farm  of  400  acres,  described  in  the  New  Castle 
Records  as  being  near  the  "Old  Landing"  on  the 
Appoquinimink  Creek,  for  2,000  pounds  of  tobacco, 
Dutch  weight.  He  was  then  a  merchant.  He  was 
afterwards  a  magistrate  at  New  Castle,  both  under 
the  Duke  of  York  and  William  Penn. 

After  the  capture  of  our  state  by  the  English,  be 
sides  DTIinoyossa  and  Van  Sweringen,  a  number  of 
other  citizens  of  Delaware  moved  to  Maryland.  The 
principal  evidence  we  have  of  this  is  the  settling  of 
so  many  Dutch  and  Germans  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Sassafras  and  Bohemia  rivers,  and  near  the  town 
of  St.  Mary's.  They  were,  no  doubt,  brought  there 
by  the  influence  of  Augustine  Herman.  Amongst 
these  families  who  again  settled  in  Delaware  we  are 
inclined  to  believe  are  the  Comegys,  the  Cochrans, 
the  Blackstones,  the  Le  Counts,  the  Kings  and  others, 
and  possibly  the  Bouchells.  Several  of  them  were 
naturalized  by  Maryland  law  from  1666  to  1684, 
amongst  them  were  Peter  Bayard,  Arnoldus  de  la 
Grange,  William  Blackenstein  (Blackstone),  Hans 
Hanson,  Cornelius  Comegys,  Gerritt  Van  Sweringen, 
besides  Jacobson,  Errickson,  Peterson,  and  Le  Count, 
whose  Christian  names  are  not  given.  In  1666 
Augustine  Hernuin  petitioned  the  Maryland  legisla 
ture  for  the  naturalization  of  himself  and  all  his 

1  The  Rev.  George  Foote,  a  talented  and  highly  esteemed  minister 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  died  at  Odessa,  in  1808.  This  lecture 
contains  matter  of  much  historical  interest.  It  was  published  in 
1842  in  a  small  book. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF  DELAWARE.  465 

family,  viz. :  Ephraim,  Georgius,  Gasparus,  his  sons, 
and  Anna  Margaretta,  Judith,  and  Francina,  his 
daughters.1 

The  Statts,  now  so  numerous  amongst  us,  were 
here  as  early  as  1648.  The  first  of  them  made 
mention  of  was  Abraham  Statts,  surgeon,  and  elder 
of  the  church  of  Renslaerswick,  New  York.  He 
was  in  1651  driven  from  the  island  of  Aharonnumy, 
in  the  Schuylkill,  by  the  Swedes,  and  had  his  home 
burnt  by  the  Indians  in  New  York. 

The  first  Comegys  came  from  Vienna,  in  Austria. 
He  was  undoubtedly  the  ancestor  of  the  present 
Comegys  family..  The  late  lamented  Cornelius  P. 
Comegys,  who  was  governor  of  the  State  from  1836 
to  1840,  was  undoubtedly  a  descendant  of  his,  as  he 
bears  the  same  Christian  name.  One  of  his  descend 
ants  (Joseph  P.  Comegys,  son  of  the  ex-governor) 
represented  the  State  in  the  United  States  Senate. 
The  Labadist,  Bankers  and  Sluyter,  give  the  follow 
ing  account  of  their  visit  to  him  in  1679.  He  is 
undoubtedly  the  Cornelius  Comegys  we  have  before 
spoken  of  as  having  been  naturalized  in  Maryland. 
He  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  wealth,  owning 
several  plantations,  and  employing  several  servants. 
He  lived  in  Maryland,  near  the  Sassafras  river. 
They  say:  "We  arrived  at  Cornelius,  the  son  of 
Cornegys,  and  called  out  to  him,  and  he  brought  a 
canoe,  which  relieved  us,  as  it  was  close  on  to  even 
ing.  We  thanked  the  person  who  had  brought  us, 
and  stepped  into  the  canoe.  Cornelius,  who  was  an 

•    l  Neil's  Terrae  Mariae. 
30 


466  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

active  young  man,  was  pleased  to  meet  Hollanders, 
although  he  himself  was  born  in  this  country.  We 
found  Mr.  Comegys  on  the  next  plantation,  who  bade 
us  welcome ;  and  after  we  had  drank  some  cider,  ac 
companied  us  with  one  of  his  company  to  Mr.  Hosier's, 
who  was  a  good,  generous-hearted  man,  better  than 
any  Englishman  we  had  met  in  this  country.  He 
had  formerly  had  much  business  with  Mr.  Moll,  but 
their  affairs  in  England  running  behindhand  a  little, 
they  both  came  and  settled  down  here,  and  therefore 
Mr.  Moll  and  he  had  a  great  regard  for  each  other. 
#  #  :;-  ]yjr  Comegys  was  from  Vienna,  and  had  a 
Dutch  woman  for  a  wife,  who  had  taught  her  children 
to  speak  the  Dutch  language :  they  therefore  had  a 
kind  disposition  towards  Hollanders.  After  her  death 
he  married  an  English  woman,  and  he  had  himself 
learned  many  of  the  English  maxims,  although  it 
was  against  his  feelings ;  for  we  were  sensible  that 
he  dared  not  work  for  us  with  an  open  heart.  He 
told  us  that  he  would  rather  live  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  than  here.  'How  is  that/  said  I,  'when  there 
is  such  good  land  here  ?'  '  True,'  he  replied ;  <  but  if 
you  knew  the  people  here  as  well  as  I  do,  you  would 
be  able  to  understand  why.' " 

Augustine  Herman  will  hereafter  cease  to  take 
part  in  Delaware  history,  save  in  a  grant  of  land  to 
the  Labadists.  Of  all  his  children  only  the  issue  of 
his  son  Gasparus  are  now  alive.  From  him  are  de 
scended  the  Oidhams  and  the  Bouchells.  James  R. 
Oldham,  of  Christiana  Bridge,  is  the  only  male  de 
scendant  now  residing  in  the  State.  He  is  seventh 


HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE.  467 

in  descent  from  the  Augustine  Herman.  This  is  one 
of  the  few  families  that  can  be  traced  by  their  descent 
without  a  break  in  the  link.  The  line  runs  thus  : 
Gasparus  Herman  left  issue  a  son  named  Ephraim 
Augustine  Herman,  who  left  a  daughter  Catharine, 
who  married  Peter  Bouchell,  a  descendant  on  one 
side  from  Hendrick  Sluyter,  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Labadists.  A  gentleman  named  Joseph  Enser 
or  Inser  married  Mary,  their  daughter.  They  had 
one  son,  who  was  killed  whilst  celebrating  his  twenty- 
first  birthday.  He  had  given  an  entertainment  to 
some  young  men,  and  whilst  running  races  for  amuse 
ment  with  their  horses,  he  was  thrown  and  killed. 
Colonel  Edward  Oldham,  of  the  Maryland  line  of  the 
Revolution,  grandfather  of  J.  R.  Oldham,  married 
their  daughter  Mary.  There  are  several  on  the 
female  side,  both  in  Delaware  and  Maryland,  de 
scended  from  Colonel  Oldham  and  Mary  Ensor.  In 
1679  the  Labadists  visited  Augustine  Herman.  They 
found  him  sick,  and  his  family  broken  up  from  a 
termagent  wife,  who  had  driven  his  children  away. 
They  say:  "He  showed  us  every  kindness  he  could 
in  his  condition,  as  he  was  very  miserable,  both  in 
soul  and  body.  His  plantation  was  going  much  to 
decay,  as  well  as  his  body,  from  want  of  attention. 
There  was  not  a  Christian  man,  as  they  term  it,  to 
serve  him — nobody  but  negroes.  All  this  was  in 
creased  by  a  miserable,  doubly  miserable  wife;  but 
so  miserable  that  I  will  not  relate  it  here.  All  his 
children  have  been  compelled  on  her  account  to  leave 
their  father's  house.  He  spoke  to  us  of  his  land, 


468  HISTORY  OF  THE   STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

and  said  he  would  never  sell  or  hire  it  to  Englishmen, 
but  would  sell  it  to  us  cheap  if  we  were  inclined  to 
buy."  At  a  second  visit  they  describe  his  wife  as 
the  most  artful  and  despicable  creature  that  can  be 
found.  They  also  called  Herman  "a  godless  person." 
We  must,  however,  receive  with  great  allowance  the 
account  of  the  Labadists,  who  were  a  sour  sect. 

Augustine  Herman  died  a  short  time  after  this, 
and  was  buried  on  the  manor.  His  death  must  have 
occurred  about  the  last  of  December,  1669,  as  on  the 
14th  of  December,  after  they  left  him,  whilst  visiting 
his  son  Ephraim,  they  were  informed  that  he  was 
very  sick  and  at  the  point  of  deatty,  and  that  his 
daughter  Margaret  had  gone  there  to  attend  upon 
him  in  that  condition. 

The  Bayards,  who  afterwards  came  into  that  por 
tion  of  the  manor  on  which  was  situated  the  grave  of 
Herman,  took  the  tombstone  for  a  door  for  their 
family  vault.  The  inscription  on  it  is  as  follows : — 
"Augustine  Herman,  Bohemian,  the  first  founder  and 
seater  of  Bohemia  Manor,  Anno  1669."  In  this 
vault  lies  buried  the  remains  of  Richard  Bassett,  a 
former  governor  of  Delaware,  a  member  of  the  con 
vention  that  formed  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  father-in-law  of  the  first  James  A. 
Bayard. 

The  following  tradition  is  related  of  Herman,  of 
which,  however,  we  found  no  allusion  to  in  the 
records,  notwithstanding  a  careful  search.  An  ac 
count  will  be  found  of  it  both  in  Ledmun1  and  Foot. 

1  Ledmun's  Rise  of  Methodism  in  America. 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  469 

Ledmun  says  :  "  It  is  said  that  the  Dutch  had  him  a 
prisoner  of  war  at  one  time,  under  sentence  of  death, 
in  New  York.  A  short  time  before  he  was  to  be 
executed,  he  feigned  himself  to  be  deranged  in  mind, 
and  requested  that  his  horse  should  be  brought  to 
him  in  the  prison.  The  horse  was  brought,  finely 
caparisoned.  Herman  mounted  him,  and  seemed  to 
be  performing  military  exercises,  when  on  the  first 
opportunity  he  bolted  through  one  of  the  large  windows 
that  was  some  fifteen  feet  above  ground,  leaped  down, 
swam  the  North  river,  run  his  horse  through  New 
Jersey,  and  alighted  on  the  bank  of  the  Delaware 
opposite  New  Castle,  and  thus  made  his  ecsape  from 
death  and  the  Dutch.  This  daring  feat,  tradition 
says,  he  had  transferred  to  canvas — himself  repre 
sented  as  standing  by  the  side  of  his  charger,  from 
whose  nostrils  the  blood  was  flowing.  It  is  said  that 
a  copy  of  this  painting  still  exists.  He  never  suffered 
this  horse  to  be  used  afterwards,  and  when  he  died 
had  him  buried,  and  honored  his  grave  with  a  tomb 
stone." 

The  author  has  seen  the  copy  of  this  painting.  It 
is  in  the  possession  of  James  R.  Oldham,  Esq.  It  is 
as  represented  by  Ledmun. 

The  old  mansion  house  of  Herman  was  occupied 
by  Governor  Bassett,  and  soon  after  his  death  it  was 
burned  down.  Ledmun  says  :  "  Many  old  valuable 
paintings  were  consumed  with  this  house.  One  of 
its  large  halls  was  lined  with  them.  Many  of  them 
had  belonged  to  Augustine  Herman,  the  founder  of 
Bohemia  Manor.  His  likeness  and  that  of  his  lady 


470  HISTORY    OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE. 

perished;  also  the  painting  representing  the  flight 
from  the  Dutch  in  New  York  by  means  of  his  famous 
war  charger.  There  are  still  people  living  who  saw 
these  paintings  again  and  again  before  they  were  de 
stroyed."  Ledmun  also  says:  "Herman  was  the 
great  man  of  the  region :  he  had  his  deer  park ;  he 
rode  in  his  coach,  driven  by  liveried  servants." 

We  will  close  our  history  of  the  Herman  family 
by  an  account  of  Margaret,  his  daughter,  who  is  the 
first  Delaware  young  lady  of  whom  history  records 
a  description.  The  Labadists  met  her  just  before 
she  left  her  brother  Ephraim's  to  attend  the  death 
bed  of  her  father.  They  said,  "  She  showed  us  much 
kindness.  She  was  a  little  volatile,  but  of  sweet  and 
good  disposition."  Again  speaking  of  her,  they  said, 
"  She  possesses  a  good  disposition,  although  a  little 
wild,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  country.  She 
complained  that  she  was  like  a  wild  and  desolate  vine 
trained  up  in  a  wild  and  desolate  country ;  that  she 
had  always  felt  an  inclination  to  know  more  of  God 
quietly,  and  to  serve  him.  She  treated  us  with  great 
affection,  and  received  thankfully  and  acceptably  what 
we  said  to  her."  The  Cochrans,  now  so  numerous 
and  influential,  it  is  alleged,  are  descended  from 
Derick  Kolchman  (now  changed  to  Cochran),  who 
was  one  of  those  engaged  in  founding  the  Labadist 
colony. 

The  Alricks,  one  of  whom  (Lucas  Alricks,  Esq.,  of 
New  Castle  hundred)  holds  the  land  on  which  he 
lives  from  his  first  ancestor,  have  from  the  time  of 
the  first  governor  of  that  name  been  numerous  and 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  471 

influential.  Their  blood  flows  in  the  veins  of  large 
numbers  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  of  Delaware 
and  other  States ;  for,  like  most  old  Delaware  fami 
lies,  their  descendants  are  scattered  over  most  of  the 
States  of  the  Union.1 

Of  all  the  Delaware  Knickerbocker  families  none 
that  we  know  of  have  so  complete  a  chain  of  descent 
as  the  offspring  of  the  celebrated  Govert  Loocker- 
mans,  the  sturdy  leader  of  the  citizens  of  New  Am 
sterdam,  and  colleague  of  Augustine  Herman.  From 
him  the  Loockermans  of  Dover  are  descended.  One 
of  his  descendants  still  occupies  the  family  mansion  at 
Dover,  which  was  built,  in  1742,  by  Nicholas  Loock 
ermans.  We  insert  it,  as  it  not  only  shows  the  num 
ber  of  generations,  link  by  link,  that  has  existed  in 
the  State  since  its  first  settlement,  but  also  the  for 
tunes  of  a  prominent  and  representative  Delaware 
family. 

Govert  Loockermans,  the  progenitor  of  the  Loock 
ermans,  came  to  New  Amsterdam  with  Youter  Van 
Twiller,  the  director  general  or  governor  of  New 
Netherlands,  in  the  caravel  St.  Martin  or  Hope,  com 
manded  by  Juriaen  Blanck,  in  the  month  of  April, 
1633,  from  Holland,  in  the  service  of  the  West  India 
Company.  At  the  time  of  his  arrival,  he  was  aged 
about  seventeen  years.  He  married  Maria  Jansen 
(a  daughter  of  Roelf  Jansen  and  his  wife  Annetje 
or  Anneke  Jans,  who,  after  the  death  of  her  husband, 
married  the  Rev.  Everardus  Bogardus),  and  was  by 

1  Levi  Alricks,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  is  making  a  thorough  research 
into  the  genealogy  of  the  Alricks  family. 


472  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

that  marriage  brother-in-law  of  Oloff  Stevenson  Van 
Courtlandt,  whose  son  founded  the  Van  Courtlandt 
manor,  in  the  State  of  New  York ;  also  of  Jacob  Van 
Couwenhoven.  He  filled  some  of  the  highest  civil 
and  military  offices  in  New  Amsterdam.  He  was 
despatched  with  Jan  Davitz  in  May,  1664,  across 
the  Green  Mountains  by  Stuyvesant  to  arrange  peace 
with  the  Mohawk  Indians.  At  Warrington  he  con 
cluded  a  treaty  with  them.  About  the  same  period 
he  commanded  a  small  armed  vessel.  He  drove  the 
English  from  a  fort  they  had  erected  up  the  Hudson 
river;  also  at  the  head  of  an  armed  force  he  sur 
prised  and  utterly  extirpated  a  tribe  of  hostile  Indians 
on  Staten  Island,  who  had  greatly  annoyed  and  in 
jured  the  settlers  in  New  Amsterdam.  It  is  said  that 
the  memory  of  this  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  this 
tribe  of  Indians,  although  approved  by  the  popular 
sentiment  of  his  day,  occasioned  him  much  disquietude 
of  conscience,  after  his  retirement  from  active  life,  in 
his  last  hours.  He  was  despatched  at  one  period  of 
his  life,  at  the  head  of  an  armed  force,  to  expel  the 
Swedes  and  English,  who  had  encroached  on  territory 
claimed  by  the  Dutch  on  the  Delaware  river,  near  the 
present  city  of  Philadelphia. 

Govert  Loockermans  was  also  a  successful  mer 
chant  and  politician.  He  headed  the  popular  party 
of  New  Amsterdam,  known  as  the  "country  part)'," 
and  resisted  the  dictatorial  assumption  of  Stuyvesant, 
the  hard  headed  and  wooden  legged  leader  of  the 
court  or  administration  party,  by  wresting  from  him 
for  the  people  the  right  of  representation  in  the 


HISTORY   OF  ,THE   STATE   OF   DELAWARE.  473 

council  called  the  Schnepens,  of  which  he  was  a 
member  in  1657  and  1661.  This  bridled  the  preroga 
tive  claimed  by  Stuyvesant,  and  made  the  govern- 
ernment  of  the  Manhattans  in  a  measure,  republican. 
He  was  three  times  banished  by  Stuyvesant,  and  was 
as  often  recalled  on  account  of  his  public  services.  The 
feud  between  Stuyvesant  and  him  was  subsequently 
terminated  by  the  marriage  of  his  granddaughter 
with  the  grandson  of  Stuyvesant.  After  a  career 
of  honored  usefulness,  Govert  Loockermans  died  in 
1670,  reputed  the  richest  individual  in  North  America. 
He  was  worth  520,000  Dutch  guilders,  an  immense 
sum  when  the  period  in  which  he  lived  is  considered. 
His  public  influence  and  position  after  his  decease 
devolved  on  his  son-in-law,  Jacob  Leisler,  who  became 
by  a  civil  revolution  the  first  governor  of  the  people 
of  the  colony  of  New  Amsterdam. 

Govert  Loockermans  left  five  children,  Elsie,  Cor 
nells,  Jacob,  Joannes,  and  Maritjie.  Elsie  Loocker 
mans  married  Cornelis  P.  Yan-der-Veen,  by  whom 
she  had  Cornelis,  Timothy,  and  Margaret.  She 
next  married  Jacob  Leisler,  who  subsequently  acted 
so  prominent  a  part  in  the  early  colonial  history  of 
New  York. 

Maritjie  Loockermans  married  Balthazar  Bayard, 
step-son  to  Governor  Stuyvesant,  and  of  this  marriage 
was  born  Anna  Maria,  who  married  Augustus  Jay, 
grandfather  of  Governor  Jay.  2.  Arietta,  who  married 
Samuel  -Verplank.  3.  Jacobus,  who  married  Helle- 
gonda  De  Kay.  4.  Judith,  who  married  Gerardus 
Stuyvesant,  grandson  of  the  last  Dutch  governor, 
Peter  Stuyvesant. 


474  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

Joannes  or  Jannetje  Loockermans  was  the  second 
wife  of  Surgeon  Hans  Kiersted,  and  her  children  were 
Areantje,  Cornells,  Jacobus,  and  Maritjie. 

Cornells  Loockermans  died,  it  is  believed,  childless 
in  early  life. 

Jacob  Loockermans,  second  son  of  the  above 
named  Govert  Loockermans  and  Maria,  his  wife,  was 
born  A.  D.  1650,  in  the  city  of  New  Amsterdam.  He 
was  a  regularly  graduated  medical  doctor,  and  prac 
tised  medicine;  but,  he  became  a  planter  in  1682. 
On  the  29th  of  January,  1677,  he  married  Helena 
Ketin.  Being  involved  in  the  political  troubles,  which 
culminated  in  the  overthrow  of  his  brother-in-law, 
Jacob  Leisler, — (who  was  deposed  and  brought  to 
the  scaffold,  by  the  royal  governor  of  William  III.,  of 
England),  about  the  year  1681  he  emigrated  to  Easton, 
in  the  State  of  Maryland,  where  he  became  a  planter. 
He  was  a  man  of  wealth,  and  left  behind  a  great  deal 
of  real  estate,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  undisposed 
of.  He  died,  on  the  17th  of  August,  1730. 

He  left  a  son,  Nicholas  Loockermans,  who  was  born, 
on  the  10th  of  November,  1697.  He  married  Sally 
Emerson,  daughter  of  Vincent  Emerson,  of  the  Grange 
near  Dover,  in  1721.  He  died  March  6,  1769,  aged 
over  seventy-one  years.  His  tombstone  remains  at 
the  Grange,  to  this  day. 

Vincent  Loockermans,  only  child  of  the  above  named 
Nicholas  Loockermans,  was  born  at  the  Grange  before 
mentioned,  in  1722.  He  married  as  his  second  wife 
Elizabeth  Pryor,  daughter  of  John  Pry  or,  merchant  of 
Dover,  in  February,  1774.  By  his  first  wife  Susannah, 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OP   DELAWARE.  475 

he  had  one  child,  Vincent  Loockermans  the  younger. 
By  Elizabeth  Pryor,  he  had  two  children,  viz. :  Eliza 
beth  and  Nicholas.  Vincent  Loockermans  the  elder  sat 
in  the  Legislature.  He  was  a  prominent  Whig  in  the 
Revolution.  He  died  at  his  residence,  in  Dover,  on 
the  26th  of  August,  1785,  in  his  sixty-third  year. 
He  left  a  large  landed  estate  in  and  around  Dover. 

Nicholas  Loockermans,  son  of  Vincent  Loockermans 
and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  was  born  November  27, 1783. 
He  sat  in  the  Legislature,  and  died  March  20,  1850. 
He  was  never  married. 

Elizabeth  Loockermans,  the  only  daughter  of  Vin 
cent  Loockermans  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  was  born 
December  23,  1779.  She  married  Thomas  Brad 
ford,  LL.D.,  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  counsellor-at- 
law,  the  8th  of  May,  1805.  She  died  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  April  12, 1842,  leaving  her  surviving,  her 
husband  and  five  children,  viz. :  Vincent  Loockermans, 
Elizabeth  Loockermans,  Benjamin  Rush,  William,  and 
Thomas  Budd.  She  was  buried  along  with  her 
brother  in  her  husband's  family  vault  in  the  burial 
ground  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Phila 
delphia,  which  vault  has  since  been  transferred  to 
Laurel  Hill,  Philadelphia. 

Vincent  Loockermans  Bradford,  eldest  surviving 
child  of  Elizabeth  Loockermans  and  her  husband, 
Thomas  Bradford,  was  born  September  24,  1808. 
He  adopted  the  legal  profession,  and  was  admitted  to 
practice,  in  Philadelphia,  in  April,  1829.  He  remeved 
to  the  State  of  Michigan  in  1835,  and  was  elected,  in 
1837,  to  the  Senate  of  that  State.  He  resumed  the 


476  HISTORY   OF    THE    STATE   OF   DELAWARE. 

practice  of  his  profession  in  Philadelphia  in  1843,  and 
was  elected  President  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Trenton 
Railroad  Company  in  1859,  being  subsequently  re- 
elected  until  1871,  inclusive.  He  married  July  21, 
1831,  Juliet  S.  Key,  daughter  of  Emanuel  Key,  Esq., 
planter  of  the  Island  of  St.  Martin,  West  Indies.  He 
still  lives. 

Elizabeth  Loockermans  Bradford,  eldest  daughter 
of  Elizabeth  Loockermans  and  her  husband,  Thomas 
Bradford,  married  the  Rev.  William  T.  Dwight,  D.D., 
of  Portland,  Me.  (a  son  of  Timothy  Dwight,  D.D.,  the 
distinguished  President  of  Yale  College).  She  died 
in  1863.  Her  husband  died  in  1865.  She  left  sur 
viving  four  children,  the  Rev.  Henry  E.  Dwight,  M.D., 
Thomas  Bradford  Dwight,  counsellor-at-law,  of  Phila 
delphia,  Elizabeth  Bradford  Dwight,  and  Mary  W. 
Dwight — all  of  whom  are  now  alive. 

Benjamin  Rush  Bradford,  of  NeW  Brighton,  Beaver 
county,  Pennsylvania,  son  of  Elizabeth  Loockermans 
and  her  husband,  Thomas  Bradford,  Jr.,  married  in 
1860  Margaret  Campbell,  of  Butler  county,  Penn 
sylvania.  They  have  four  children,  viz. :  Juliet  S., 
Thomas,  Eleanor  C.,  and  William  C.,  all  of  whom 
now  live. 

William  Bradford,  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  son 
of  Elizabeth  Loockermans  and  Thomas  Bradford,  was 
born  in  1815.  He  still  lives. 

Thomas  Budd  Bradford,  son  of  Elizabeth  and 
Thomas  Bradford,  Jr.,  was  born  in  1816.  He  is  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  and  now  resides  in  the  ances 
tral  mansion  of  the  Loockermans  at  Dover,  which  has 


HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF   DELAWARE.  477 

sheltered  the  blood  for  more  than  a  century.  He 
still  farms  as  proprietor  much  of  the  old  Loockermans 
land  contiguous  to  Dover.  By  his  first  wife  he  had 
no  issue.  He  married  as  his  second  wife  Miss  Lucy 
II.  Porter,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Robert  R.  Porter,  an 
esteemed  and  influential  citizen  of  Wilmington,  Dela 
ware,  a  granddaughter  of  the  Hon.  Willard  Hall, 
District  Judge  of  the  United  States  District  Court 
of  Delaware,  and  a  great-granddaughter  of  Chancellor 
Killen,  of  Delaware.  His  issue  by  this  last  marriage 
is  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Since  the  foregoing 
was  penned,  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Bradford  departed  this 
life,  at  Dover,  March  25th,  1871. 

A  granddaughter  of  Vincent  Loockermans  the 
elder,  by  his  first  marriage,  (being  a  daughter  of 
Vincent  Loockermans  the  younger),  Elizabeth  Loock 
ermans,  married  Thomas  Davy,  of  Philadelphia.  She 
and  her  husband  are  both  dead,  leaving  an  only 
child,  Mary  S.  Davy.  Another  grandchild  of  Vincent 
Loockermans  the  elder,  by  his  first  marriage,  (being 
a  daughter  of  Vincent  Loockermans  the  younger)  mar 
ried  the  Hon.  Nicholas  G.  Williamson,  for  many  years 
Postmaster  and  Mayor  of  Wilmington;  by  whom  she 
had  issue,  Mary  Ann  (married  to  Rev.  Corry  Cham 
bers),  Harriett  (married  to  Hon.  William  D.  Baker), 
Sallie  E.  (married  to  the  Hon.  Horn  R.  Kneas), 
Evelina  (married  to  Courtlandt  Howell,  Esq.),  Hel 
ena,  and  Elba  (married  to  Leonard  Phleger,  Esq.). 

Although  the  family,  for  a  century  past,  have 
signed  themselves  and  been  called  "  Lockerman,"  the 
true  spelling,  as  derived  from  the  early  records  of 
the  family,  is  "  Loockermans." 


478  HISTORY   OF   THE    STATE    OF    DELAWARE. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  history  of  the  descendants 
of  Govert  Loockermans  how  the  blood  of  the  Knick 
erbocker  patriarchs  is  mingled  and  scattered  over  all 
the  States,  how  the  families  maintain  their  position, 
and  that  seven  generations  of  the  descendants  of  the 
Locokermans  and  eight  of  the  Hermans  (for  some  of 
the  last  named  descendants  of  both  families  have 
living  children)  have  existed  since  the  first  settlement 
of  Delaware.  And  as  the  same  rule  exists  in  all  the 
families,  we  may  consider  from  seven  to  nine  genera 
tions  of  people  have  dwelt  and  now  dwell  in  our 
State  since  the  first  white  man  took  up  his  habitation 
upon  our  shores.  The  first  volume  of  the  first  his 
tory  of  Delaware  is  now  finished,  and  we  hope  that 
a  kind  Providence  will  allow  us  also  to  complete  the 
second. 


END   OF    VOL.    I. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

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